Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-06
The History OF Oar Tariff.

On Monday last Mr.. Moore, Weil-known
political economist, who wrote for the World
over the signature of "Parsee," appeared be-
fore the Tariff Commission in New York
and read an address reviewing the tariff his
| tory of the United States from its inception
| to the present time The first tariff act on
| the statute books had been approved July 4,
1889. The ostensible object of this measure
was, of course, to raise revenue, yet even at
that early stage of tariff history lurking
desire for protection was already nouceaole'
Unimportsnt changes, in which tendency
| to increase the tariff were shown, were MADE
in 1898 and 1894. The Subsequent tarlh
acts up to July, 1872, were seven 10 number
and ali seemed to have followed IN the road
of complication and higher rates. The I'M
portaut bill of July, 1872, doubled the then
existing duties, but by the tariff act oil April
| 27. 1916, reduction was made IN the duty
on cotton goods and iron, though the war
duties of 1912 were substantially sust aimed
Another change in the interest OF protection
was made on Nav %, 1924, after which
came the tariff of 1928, still further ipcreas-
inc duties. The "Ciay compromise act OF
1923 was celebrated for the additional
number of articles that were put on the free
list. The next general tariff change was IN
1912. Robert J. Walker, an able hnancler
| and economist, who was Secretary OF fhe
Treasury nuder President Polk, conceived
an EQUITABLE, hopest system, and nowhere IN
| The history Of the world could be found a
tte,fariff system than that emil bodied IN
| ihe set of 1916. Walkers six great princ1-
nIss were tn at no more money should be col
| iected than was necessary for the wants OF
| tbe country, economically administered; that
no duly should be imposed on any article
above The lowest rate which would yield the
| largest amount of revenue; that below such
| a discrimination might be made, descending
| in the scale of duties, or the article, for I'M
neratiye reasons, placed on the free list; that
| The heaviest minimum and specific duties
| .houId be abolished and ad Ualorent duties
substituted, care being taken TO guard against
| fraudulent invoices and undervaluation and
| 10 assess the duty upon the actual mar
| ket value; and that the duty should be so
| imposed as % operate as equally as posi-
| HE over all the Union. "To explain this
| last principle by the light of modern tariff
history,n said Mr.. Moore, dit simply means
| that Mr.. Walker did not recognise plate
| oil ass in Indiana, potteryware IN New Jersey
snool-thread in Pawtucket, sugar in Louisl-
| ana. or steel rails in Pennsylvania. BeIns
an old fashioned Democrat, his aim wal
equal Justice and equsl rights to the shoi,
| naonle. he knew neither class nor section
| Tba Walker tariff system lasted fourteen
| vears although a reduction OF twenty pei
| cent- in rates was made in 1887, and article
| tbat had paid thirty per cent. were reduced
| 10 tventy-four per cent. od Udtorsm, and SO or
throughout the list, excepting spirits, which
| were reduced TO forty per cent. al udtoren
| from 100 per cent. During the operation
| that tariff the country had prospered, ant
! the foundation Tor manufacturing on M M
largest scale was laid on a solid basis. Tn
famon. Morrill, tariff bill was approve
March 2. 1861, and its great object spPesre'
| 20 have been 10 restore nearly as possible
not onIv the mes of 1912, but also TO bres
down the eqtlltsble Gd raLoTen SYSTEM Whe
Inc war beg an the Morrill, act was sPeedil
| augmented by rise in rates, and during To
conflict tariff acts innumerable were mad
| all tending to higher rates, spscihc rates an
compound rates. The advocates for revi'
ion of tariff in the interest OF pre-
tection argued that the country coul
not compete with the pauper labor {
Europe. but the modern inventions OF labol
saving M schinery had neutralized this gre'
bupbear. and with their intelligence, meal
and superior machinery Americans migt
! we'll laugh at the pauper laborers OF all otht
countries. The competition really to |
. dreaded was from Australia, where Msg'
are still higher than in America. WINS
alter all, did the tariff reformers demand
, The two things indispensable to reform Wer
6rst. a reduction of tariff taxes; secon'
, tariff simpIification. The only plausible e;
: cuse for the present high tariff was that II
I erDeuses of the war had made lmperau'
,, | the imposing OF wsr-taxes, but II was an vi
due assumption OF arbitrary power Tor
government TO continue those taxes after
Seventeen years peace. Mr.. Moore said
conclusion: ain revising the present tar
in the direction of simplifcation must mo
smnhatically protest sgainst the retention
; any compound duties. There is no excu
. for them. III il is absolutely necessary
tax an article so or 80 per cent, let II
stated openly and clearly a dn,e n0s ,nr real
= | 40 essential to uphold the Preludlces
: ignorancs, ,or, perhaps more strictly.spea