The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-11-09

rules of political economy which seem
to me to have been originally involved
in the tariff question, and upon them l
should assuredly act and vote whenever
it became my official duty to do so, if
the question were not a new one in our
public affairs. But the question is not
new. A tariff Intentionally and sedu-
Ously framed in many particulars to
operate in a way to bestOw bOuntieS or
subsidies on certain manufacturers has
been long in operation in the country.
Large enterprises have been invested on
account of the tariff and in consequence
of the pecuniary advantages that 1T
offered.
Many who have, since the tariff laws of
1861 and 1854, embarked their capital
and their energies and given employ
mt Mt to great numbers of people in the
protected manufactures, have been those
it may be, who were adverse to the laws
when originally enacted, but who at
last came to look upon that system of
legislation as likely to be permanent. II
would be clearly unjust and impOlitic to
bring needless injury or possible de-
structiOn.On such Investments by sudden
repeal of such tariff laws, unwise, dis
honest, or iniquitOus as they may have
been in the beginning. A reduction of
taxes should be gradual, and no invest
ments made on the encouragement of
the Government should be put in peril
by the Government itself. How many
Of such investors there may be who did
not disingNnuOusly promote in Congress
this vicious tariff legislation, or who
have, since their outlay, had their
original Investments returned to them
many times over l am unable to say.
That the tariff law Is crude, clumsy
and unjust is not generally denied.
Those familiar with its practical opera
tiOn do not hesitate to cOncede that 1t is
demOraliZing to the officials who ad-
minister it as it is vexing and tempting
to those who under it are compelled to
carry on the importing business Of the
country. .'#
The existing tariff, which Is substan,
TALLY the Morrill, or war tariff of 1861
and 1863, needs immediate revision and
readjustment as we'll in the sense of ar
ticles to be free of duty, and of rates of
duty on the articles to be dutiable at
the ports for the purpose of revenue, as
in the sense of rules and regulations for
the assessment and collection of the
duties to be levied. g..I
The war legislation, which attempted
to improve the old tariff, derived or
adapted from England by WolcOtt, of
Connecticut, and Hamilton, of New
1OIh, was nasty auOpLlOu OF Glo 0Scal
policy of the Federalists, and has much
of 1t turned out to be anything but an
Improvement. If a model had to be
/ sought it would have been infinitely
better to have adopted the principles of
the tariff of Robert j. Walker, of 1846.
1t should be made plain that duties
are tob be hereafter levied on imports for
purposes of revenue, and any revision Of
the tariff should distinctly announce
| that salutary rule for the future.
At present the necessities Of providing
for the interest on the public debt and
for other great-too great-FederaI ex-
penditures seem to make it imperative
that duties be levied at the ports of
| entry on portion of the articles brought
to this country from abroad; but can
not the number of these articles be
largely reduced, and cannot the number
of articles to be added to the free list,
especially of raw materials used bv
| American manufacturers, be as largely
and safely increased, without materially
reducing, in the end, the total sum Of
money to be gathered in from duties on
arriving merchandise?
do not fail to appreciate, 1 hope, the
| persistence, If not the force, of the cry
that high tariff has given, and will
continue to give, permanently higher