Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-30
TIE TARIFF IN CONGRESS.

tOD1cCO. - large pEOPO1 siOh VI s4S s'1<.SS
which it is proposed to reduce are how
ever mischievous, and the reductions will
be productive of good. But it cannot be
doubted that the Ways and Means Com
mittee has been acting under tariff infu-
ence, or that it has sought to reduce the
Internal Revenue taxes as much as posi-
sible In order to create an excuse for not
reducing the tariff The caucus resolu.
ton, prohibiting reduction on whisky and
tobacco, made any proceeding of this kind
very difficult, and even with the best in
! tention to help the Protectionists, the
committee has not been able to do much.
The fact still remains that there is room
for {. further reduction OF taxes to the
amount of between $50 900, 600 and S4O,.
| 900, 600, and it will become clearer every
day as the session goes on that this reduc-
ton can only come out of the tariff.
The Senate has passed the Tariff Com.
mission bill, however, and from the enthu-
siasm with which the Protectionists sup.
port and push forward this measure it is
evident that they regard it as patent
method for staving off present action on
the tariff. The bill as passed by the Sem
ate provides for a Commission of nine
members, to be appointed by the President
and confirmed by the Senate. The origi-
nal draft undertook to classify the mem.
bers, but it seems that the bill as passed
leaves the selection of the whole of them
to the President, and does not restrict his
choice or prescribe the classes from which
they shall be taken. The Commissioners
are to receive $40 day and actual ex-
penses, and they are to investigate all
the various questions relating to the
agricultural, commercial, mercantile,
manufacturing, mining and industrial
interests of the United States, so far as
the same may be necessary to the estab-
iishment of judicious tariff, or revis-
ion of the existing tariff and internal
revenue laws upon scale of Justice to
all interests" and they are to report to
Congress from time to time, and to max e
final report not later than January, 1853.
This is a very pretentious bill, but it may
be questioned whether it is intended to
effect anything In the first place it is
shrewdly contended by tariff reformers
that there is no need for such an inquiry
at all that all the information which is
necessary to the proper revision of the
tariff is already available; and that all
such Commission can do is to afford an
excuse fer putting off all tariff reform for
another year.
In the second place it is argued that the
bill does not permit of frank inquiry into
the whole fiscal system, but that it narrows
the sphere Of the Commission by instructing
it to report in favor of ga judicious tariff 1"
which, say the reformers, is contradic-
nature be judicious. The bill has already
been introduced to the House, and has en-.
countered strong opposition, nor is 1t clear
that it will pass there, though the natural
disposition of politicians to procrastinate
whenever an embarrassing issue is before
them, will no doubt incline the RepubIi-
cans to support it. 1t is, however, in order
to warn the Republicans in Congress
against what may prove fatal blunder,
namely, the committal of the party to a
pronounced pro-tarif position. For it is GER
tain that the tariff as it is cannot be de-
tended even by the Protectionists, and it is
equally certain that the Republican party
is in no way bound to endanger its strength
before the people by tying itself to an issue
| which is bound to wreck its champions.
The tariff was an evolution of the rebellion.
1t never could have been framed but for
the existence Of civil war at the time. 1t
was admitted to be an evil by its trainers
Its apology ceased to exist when the re-
bellion collapsed, and ever since then it has
been becoming more of an anomaly.
We are pleased to observe that some
prominent Eastern Republican journals
have already perceived the danger to which
we refer, and that they have pointed out
the folly OF taking up the tariff as parti-
san issue. Thus the New York Times OBJ
serves that "as to the political bearing OF
the question, Republicans are uncom-
"mitted. The party is not bound to
the present tariff, or to any tariff of
(which the chief object is not revenue.
:" Its representatives are free to decide for
themselves how far the tariff should be
reduced, and in what direction. Not
'even Congressional caucus has yet
"spoken on that subject. The Republi.
leans will be very foolish if they allow
"either the Protectionists or the Demo
"crats to force them into an advocacy Of
"extreme Protectionist ideas, on the
ground that party consistency requires
sit On the contrary, the permanent in
"terests of the party would be very seri-
"ously compromised by any such policy.
; ta0 10 VI ~ GNU LAlC AOlSG anu iIbHuSHG1
of the attacks which are being made on
the tariff at present, not by Democratic
journals nearly so much as by the Repusli-
can and especially the Western Republican
press, ought to convince Congressman that
it would be a most serious mistake to
adopt pronounced position in support OF
Protection and of the existing tariff
The New York Times itself shows how
dissatisfied intelligent men everywhere
are becoming with the customs taxes by
observing that "the time has gone by
when the long continued abuses of the tar.
" if can be covered by constant repetition
"of barren generalities regarding the
protection of American labor. Ameri
"can labor, as a whole, is not protected
alt is a grave question whether any
American labor is protected" 1t is
scarcely ''grave question, " for we have
already shown in these columns that as a
rnatfer IF fuct No American lahor :. ro,u