New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-15
UHAT DOES 1T AMOUNT tor

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The New-York Chamber of Commerce, at
special meeting on Thursday, adopted by a
small majority the resolutions commencing
Mr. Hewitt's plan of tariff revision. A substi-
tute was defeated by 20 yeas to 81 nays.
Hence II appears that supposed formal dec
laration of the New York Chamber of Com
merce on this important matter was cOnsld-
cred by only sc members out OF several hun
bred, and was adopted by majority OF eight.
Still the resolutions are entitled to be consid-
cred on their merits, though they express the
opinions of only small number of individ-
uals.
Mr. Hewitt's scheme has seemed to us too
vague. An advocate of protection might be
entrappcd by it, or a free-trader repealed. Tho
only positive point in the resolutions is the
recommendation that the Tariff Commission
bill should be defeated. The plan recon-
mended in place thereof is:
!. Tha: all raw materials, meaning thereby all ma
teas which have not been subjected TO any process OF
manufacture, and all waste products, meaning therehy
all waste materials which ~ only TO be remanufac-
tued aud all chemicals which not produced in this
country and alcohol for in manufactures, shall be
placed upon the free list
2 Tina possible, specific duties shall be sub
stitted for ad duties aud that IN determining
suoh specific duties the average dutabe value OF in
ports during the last three years shall be taken as the
OF value, upon which no higher rate OF duty
shall be imposed than shall be necessary TO compensate
for the difference IN the cost OF the labor at home and
abroad expended in The production of such products,
after making due allowance for the expenses Of raspor
aOn and that the rate Of duty snail not in any case,
except on Injuries exceed 80 per cent of such average
dutiabc value.
Raw materials means anything or moth
ing, according to the notion of the individual
applying the phrase. Seed corn is a raw ma
te1ial to the farmer and corn in the ear might
be called a finished product which has been
subjected TO a process OF manufacture. Zig
iron, according to Mr. Hewitt's definition, is
finished product and not a raw material, because
Di1 iron is the result of one OF the most impOr
tant manufactures. Steel rails are 2 Yaw ma
terial of railroads, and cotton yarn is a IGw
material of many goods Frankly, Mr. llew-
tits distinction does not distinguish. 1t could
not be made an ineligible basis for tariff re-
vision though it may be useful for political
purposes. The proposal that raw materials shall
be placed on the free list therefore, amounts to
nothing. 1t may be SO construed as to place
not a single article or the free list that is not
there now, or it may be so construed as TO
place almost any product Of the most important
industries in the same category. distinction
of this sort is not trustN orthy for the guidance
of statesmen. 1t can DC useful only for the
stump.
The second resolution proposes a substitution
of specific for adj valOrem duties " as far pos
sblc" Exactly on this principle the morrill,
tariff was framed twenty years ago, and every
other tariff of the same kind has since been
framed. Tie possibility of substituting specific
for ad vaorem duties, without injustice and
public disadvantage, is less than some mem
bers of the Chamber seem TO imagine.
But it is proposed that the duties levied shall
be such as to compensate for the difference
in the cost of labor at home and abroad ex
pended in the production Off different pro-
ducts. What does all this mean? The cost of
production abroad; what is i'll Is it pro-
duction in England, or Belgium, or
France, or China7 What is meant, the
highest cost, OF the lowest where there is
material difference If the lowest. why not
say sO-except that the bare statement would
be fatal to the proposed change7 If the high
est, why not say so-except that the PROPOSE
ton would then be practically this, to make
nc change in duticsl Again, what is the cost
of production Eat homes Pig iron Costs
great deal more In New-York than al Johns
town, Penn. or in Northern Alabama. or in
Tennessee, or in Missouri. What is meant!
Shall the industries Of the seabcaIl States be
wrecked by cutting down duties to correspond
with the bare cost of production in Alabama
or Missouri Or shall the industries Of the
interior be unduiy protected by making duties
high enough 10 cover the cost OF production
where the cost is greatest