Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-12-07
gelistellaueons &eadimg.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.

A subject much talked about, but little un-
derstood in it's details and actual operations,
by the public generally. A revenue tariff, a
protective tariff, and free trade are matters
tlippanty spoken of with but little accuracy
of comprehension of the actual difference be-
tween them, and their respective practical ef-
fects. The tariff, as understood in this coun-
try, is system Of revenue for the support OF
the General Government, derived from duties
or imposts on foreign imports or goods OF for
egn production. a tariff for reuenue only is
that system Of customs duties which excludes
all determinations as to the amount of the
duties imposed upon the different articles Of
import, except such as have exclusive refer
ence to the amount Of revenue to be raised
A protective tariff is system of impOsts lev
led on foreign goods with view OF raising
their prices, and thereby preventing their being
sold lower than the home products. A reVe-
nue. tariff with incidental protection is that
system of customs revenue which, while the
duties are imposed for the exclusive purpose Of
raising revenue to support the Government,
discriminates and is adjusted as to the amount
imposed on different articles with reference to
equality of the public burdens and the encour-
agement and protection of articles of domes-
tic production. Free trade requires the aban-
donment of tariff duties on foreign imports,
and the support of the General Government
by system of direct taxation. These brief
definitions tend to accuracy Of understanding
of the differences between these several forms
Of raising revenue to support the General Gov
ernment.
Free trade has many attractions and should
be encouraged as far as practicable consis-
tently with the support of the Federal Govern
ment by tariff system, adjusted strictly with
reference to equality in the public burdens and
equal justice to all. But the people of this
country are opposed to a sys; em OF direct tax
alton for the support of the General Govern
ment. The direct taxation imposed for the
support of the State, county, and city govern
ments, and for school and the poor purposes,
&C., are burdensome and as much as the peo-
pie can BEAR The foreign producer and i'm
porter of foreign goods would prefer free trade,
but there is not county, certainly not State,
in the Union, in which the people are notoOp-
posed to direct taxation for the support of the
Federal Government. The theoretical free
trade men of the Democratic party, would,
therefore, defeat their own party, and contn-
ue in power the advocates of high protective
tariff for the sake of an abstract political dog
ma.
A protective tariff is for the benefit of few
at the expense of the many. 1t creates mo-
nopolies and inequalities in the public bur
dens, and enricheS the few at the expense of
the many-makes the rich richer and poor
poorer No wise statesman would advocate
such system.
A tariff for revenue only, with Incidental
encouragement protection % ohome industry,
is the revenue system for the support of the
Federal Government which the people OF this
country are in favor of; that is, revenue
tariff, levied and adjusted, in it's details, with
strict reference to equality in the public bur
dens, and the protection or encouragement OF
home productive industry as far as practica-
BILE, without creating monopolies or affording
unjust advantages to one part of the people at
the expense of the other.
On this subject General Jackson, in his
first inaugural address, said:
"With regard to a proper selection OF the
subjects of impost with view to revenue, it
would seem to ME, that the spirit Of equity,
caution and compromise, in which the Constl-
tuition was formed, requires that the great
interest Of agriculture, commerce and manu-
facture, should be equally favored, and that
perhaps the only exception to this rule should
consist in the peculiar encouragement OF any
products or either of them that may be found
essential to our national independence. y
american Register.