The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-11-09
BELMONT On TARIFF.
A Statement of ImpOrts.-The Rev
enue and the Shipping.
How the Present Chaotic Tariff RObs
LabOring Men and Strangles In
dustry--An Able Speech.

NEW YORK, November "A large and
successful meeting was held last night
at New Brighton by the Jefferson Club.
at which an address was made by 1nYi
tatiOn by Mr.. Perry Belmont, the cantl
date for the First Congressional Dis
trict. Mr.. Belmont was received with
much enthusiasm by large and appre
clative audience, representing not only
the Democrats of the district but great
numbers of the best Republican resi-
dents of Staten Island. Mr.. Belmont
spoke as follows:
thank you heartily for your welcome
Perhaps you will be willing to heaI
what may have to say about certain
matters directly affecting your interests
and concerning which l may be called
upon to act in Congress in your behalf.
can think of nothing more impOrtan
at this time to the interests of the peO
ole than the principles and methods OF
taxation. | DO not see why there should
be reluctance t. discuss Custom House
taxation particularly. On the contrary,
it seems to me to be much better to take
up these questions now tn IN to pul
them off, especially if they should be
postponed to the exciting times of Presi-
Dental elections, when they are not
generally treated with fairness or mOder-
alton on either side.
Let me begin by putting this case:
Suppose the Federal Government had a
steady income from any source which
made unnecessary the raising of money
by annual taxation, either direct or in-
direct, (, the ordinary expenditures of
the Government, would any large body
of impartial voters be likely to advocate
taxation for the purpose of drawing
from themselves into the II easury,m0ney
to be distributed by Congress as a
bounty or subsidy to any class or classes
of manufacturers, whether infant OF
adult?
The theory of our Government de-
mands that taxes shall be levied for pub
| lie purposes only; and hence it is that
in two or three of the States of the
Union there have been judicial deci
siOns to tn effect that the constitution
of the State contained restrictions,
either EXPIRE Ised or implied, preventing
State or municipal legislatures from
assisting certain individual interests,
either by granting public money or
pledging the public credit.
For instance, to aid in the rebuilding
of hOu- es in city which had been par
TALLY destroyed by fire, or to encourage
the erect on of works for the carrying
on of a certain kind of useful manufac-
tuTe.
There may not be any clause in the
Federal Constitution which expressly
prohibits Congress from making an ap-
preparation as a bounty to encourage
individuals to engage in any special in
dustry, similar to the clause to be found
in the State constitutions which COM
PEELED the decisions to which l have re-
ferred; yet it may be safely said that
no considerable number of voters could
be found to advocate direct Federal tax
alton in order to obtain money to be
paid as a bounty to encourage any form
of industry, as, for example, the grow
ing of tea plants recommended some
few years ago, or indeed to aid in the
manufacture, by individuals, of the
most useful and desirable articles as an
affair of purely private business and
speculation. If you cannot find any
considerable body Of voters, east or west,
who would advocate the raising of
money by direct taxation for such pur-
or expedient for Congress to accomplish
the same thing by indirect taxation?
1t seems to me that at some such con-
sideratiOns as these one must come to
the conclusion that it is neither wise,
nor expedient, nor necessary, and Is
probably an unconstitutional exercise
of power for Congress to levy duties on
| imported articles for any other purpose
than to aid in raising the revenue ac-
annual expenditures of the Federal
| Government. If, by the wise and skill
full adjustment and honest levy of duties
| demanded by the requirements of the
| public service, any American manufac-
| turer is aided and encouraged by this
incidental protection, so much the bet
ter; no one will stand in the way of
| that.
Every one sees and comedies that
| nm ~ 1,
/ on imported articles in order to obtain
| the necessary revenue for the Govern
ment. When it is once determined what
| sum of money is needed each year for
| that purpose, then what part of that
sum shall be obtained by direct internal
| taxation and what parG by indirect
! Custom House taxation becomes a
matter Of administration which mig t
not seriously divide political parties.
| And wheniit has once been ascertained
what sum shall be thus raised by tariff
Of duties on imports for the purpose Of
| obtaining a revenue with which to carry
on the Government with economy, then
also one would say that the honest ad-
| justment and levy Of duties for such a
purpose should not in itself suffice to
divide and keep the country divided into
two political pal ties.
1t will of course be difficult in the
practical adjustment of a scale Of duties
| to prescribe "a hard and fast line" which
shall separate and distinguish rate of
duty which is secretly urged for the sake
of protection" 1t Is to be anticipated
that there will be difficulties and en-
barrasments, but they need not be seri-
Gus. In doubtful cases there will prob
ably not be many, in or out Of Congress,
who would refuse to give the American
manufacturer the benefit of the doubt,
L nrnUiHQ6 0nnpFQl q
late for revenue is honestly adhered to.
Such are my present convictions upon
the constitutional principles and the