Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-18
The FederaI Faxes.

Inc recent gatnerlng OF proteCtiOnlsts
at Chicago, styling themselves the Tariff
Convention, took high ground for con-
tinuance of the Morrill, tariff. They
were remarkably stalwart in the claims
they made for protection, and as
cribed to its agency every benefit that
the country has reaped since the war.
They wind up their claims with the
avowal that the tariff has set the balance
of trade in our favor This last is sim
ply absurd, for the vast bulk of our ex-
ports since the recovery from the crash
of 1878 was made up of farm products,
which were no more affected by the tariff
in the way of protection than the fish in
our rivers. On the contrary, if that bal
ance was so large, with the duties on their
present scale, how much larger it must
have been had transportation, cost of
machinery, and tools, and living been
lower, as would have been the case had
the duties been reduced?
Our imports from and exports to Great
Britain show that as against her the
tariff, high as it is, does not protect our
manufacturers, for her bill against us
for manufactured products is more than
double ours against her. The balance
of trade is, therefore, in our favor by
reason of the vast supply of breadstuffs.
cotton and other products of the soil.
And this balance of trade, what does it
show in our case? Simply that we are
keeping out of debt, and not that we are
able to buy. Where nation is solid it
makes little difference whether the bal
ance of trade be in her favor or against
her. On the contrary, when against her
it shows that her people can 1--we better,
dress better, and get more enjoyment
out of life. The fact is that the mass of
the people of the United States have for
years past been practicing close economy,
and have been able to make ends meet
by reason of bountiful harvests at home
and poor crops abroad. The proc of
luiS - lOuuu III luS AdCt eudJ tuC Ddl"uSC
is changing, and next year may be
against us. Were we free to buy where
and what we pleased, uninfuenced by
the duties added for the sake of protec-
ton, we would be just as comfortable
with the balance of trade as much
against US as it has been in our favor.
The Chicago gathering confessed the
weakness of their claim by admitting
that the internal taxes, the great stable
source of revenue of the government,
might be reduced. Their reduction
would enforce a revision of the tariff
with a view to lowering the import du-
ties, and their abolition would necessi
tate tariff strictly for revenue. High
as the duties are, they do not protect,
and the leading monopolists, by their
declarations, admit that they can be
lowered. They make a broad claim,
too, for American vessels carrying the
foreign mails, and avow that they should
perform the work altogether. AS the
whole country is taxed for this service it
is impudent to ask that any but those
who will do it best and cheapest should
perform it.
The whole question Of our commercial
growth can be settled very simply.
American shipbuilders, who build about
one ocean steamer in twenty, are pro-
tected, and an American merchant must
buy home built craft at home prices or
own ships abroad or none at all. Now
why not, as it is reported President Ar
thur proposes to advise, permit the
registry of foreign bottoms to be iried, if
only as an experiment for limited time?
This OF wholesale subsidies, which would
be an added drain on the people for the
enrichment of the few, are the only
remedies.
The whole question of Federal taxa
ton resolves itself into a very simple
problem. Shall we tax ourselves to
death to get rid of the national debt in
one or two decades, or shall posterity
share the burden3 Shall the people be
taxed at the present rate to give the
government a surplus of 100000, 900
that, after the pensions are liquidated,
will be employed to further discharge
the debt, or shall there be an effort made
to adjust internal revenue taxes and i'm
port duties so that all shall bear their
proportionate burden, and shall we have
free ships and build up our commerce,
or pay vast subsidies that will require
fresh taxation2 High duties benefit
manufacturers and remotely their en-
ployes, but the farmers and the rest of
the people are best protected by the low
est tax that will meet the governments
needs.