The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29
Revision of the Tariff.


wo had supposed that during it, present
session Congress would probably improve
the tariff In some few respects, but refer
the general subject TO commission OF OK
perts with instructions to report at It's next
session tariff which would both yield a
large revenue and foster such American IN
dus,rics as need protection. We are sur
prised 10 find that some OF our free-trade
friends discountenance the proposition 10
consult experts on the subject; for we
had supposed that the free traders consiu-
cred themselves so thoroughly fortified WIN
arguments to rciute the theories OF the pro-
tectionlsts that they would eagerly avail
themselves Of oil opportunities 10 sho"
their confidence in the foundations OF their
teachings, aud TO call forth the opinions OIL
those men who are best qualified TO discuss
the various questions involved. Sir JOHN
IIRBocK In his lecture OF last summer on
"a Half Century OF Science" declared
that he did not consider himself as unlustl-
6ably entering the field Of politics when he
claimed that the doctrine OF free trade had
within that period been established as
true. He has not a doubt upon the
subiect. and Is evidently confident
tina, the free traders could win their
case before pny highly-intelligent body
OF men TO whom its merits might be
presented. Truth TO say, their theory Is
not unsupported by the most plausible OF
arguments, and the most ingenious pro-
cesses Of reasoning. And yet what would
the Virginia manufacturers OF tobacco say
if their representatives in Congress should
propose to admit into this country free OF
customs-duties tobacco manufactured IN
Canada? Nay, what would the Virginia
tobacco-planters say OF such propositions
With one voice they would denounce 1t.
They are not free-traders except in theory.
So as to persons engaged in the sumac trade
either as buyers or sellers. Theory yields
TO seli-interest. Everybody likes to be
"protected."
Senator BECK, OF Kentucky, Is one OF the
distinguished free traders who are opposed
to referring the adjustment of the tariff to
q commission OF experts. lie is reported
as saving that this is matter which be-
longs to the representatives selected by the
people, and that il ought not to be rele-
gated to any other men. But we can see
10 force whatever in the objection. Strictly
speaking, all legislation belongs to Con-
grcss as body, and not to committees
composed Of one-tenth or one-twcntietb OF
the individual members. And yet nobody
knows better than Mr.. BECK that more
than halfthe bills which become laws are by
Congress taken upon trust from the commit
tees Of That body. Wecan imagine no good
reason why Congress might not as iustilia-
bly employ any other means which would
enable 1t to lcgislate intelligently upon any
given subject. Surely the Justices Of the
Supreme Court would be consulted ii re-
---'-'- az, The laws relating TO that high
tribunal 'se,4e contemplated.
1t is the duty OF a judge to decide HIM
self all cases which arise in his court. New
eriheless, he very often finds occasion to
call into requisition the services of one OF
those curial experts styled Commission
ers in Chancery." Sometimes, too, he
makes an order OF survey, and OF course,
designates experts to do the work,
In all such cases a judge is governed
almost entirely by the reports made to him
by these experts. Surely Congress may
rightfully resort to similar measures. 1t
certainly needs all the help it can get. We
suspect that not hall its members are capa-
BILE Of voting intelligently upon one tenth
OF the items in a tariff bill.
We must, therefore, think that the whole
subject OF the tariff ought to be referred to
n commission of experts composed OF free
traders and protectionists the most intelli-
gent and thoroughly posted that can be
found, with instructions TO report next
December. In the mean time some OF the
worst features Of the existing tariff might
be abolished or improved by the present
Congress itself.