The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-11-26
TIE TARIFF QUESTION.

Congressman Perry Belmont, the
rising young statesman, has been
talking to the New York Herald
ON revenue reform, and his views
on the subject show the deep and
careful thought for which he is al
ready proverbial, He believes that
legitimate trade and enterprise are
oppressed by present taxation. He
points out that for eight years the
New York democrats have steadily
tried to subject corporations created
by the state laws to strict scrutiny
and supervision of the state. Bel.
mont is not radical.and can look at
things in the light of cool, col
lected reason. He says that a tariff
such as the genuine protectionists
ask would be unconstitutional; that
what it may be within the spirit Of
the Cons tuition for Congress to do
in one condition of the country may
not be constitutional in another con-
dition, say. for example. foreign war,
in which it would be necessary and
proper for Congress to levy prohib-
itory rates of duty on foreign mer-
chandise. This constitutional ques-
ton, he says, is the one first in order
to be discussed and disposed of.
Concerning the the probable action
of the southerners elected to the
Forty-eighth Congress, he can only
Judge from the past declarations of
the south, as contained in the con-
stitution of the Confederate States
The Constitution of the United States,
as you will remem Der, runs something
like this: 1.-The ongress shall have
power TO lay and collect taxes, duties,
imposts and excuses TO pay the debts and
provide for the common defense ard gen.
eral prosperity of the country" The
| Confederate States took the Federal con-
etitution as their model, making here and
there a few chang In the treatment of
the clause 1 have quoted the Confederate
States struck out the phrase general
welfare of the United States" and insert
ed instead carry on the government of
the Confederate States" They left the
common defense" in, but struck out
the general welfare . Not content with
| that the Confederate States inserted this
significant prohibition upon the power of
their Congress: but no bounties shall
be granted from the treasury, nor shall
any duties or taxes on imports from for
eign nations be made TO promote or fos-
ter any branch Of industry" Now, l
am at this moment quite unable to see
how one who thought that provision es-
sential in the Confederate constitution
can vote for protective tariff pure and
simple, as the phrase protective tariff
is understood by the monopolists. This
| inserted clause IN the Confederate con-
stitution in respect to bounties and pro-
lection clearly expresses the issue to- day
between 'protectionists" and democrats,
as understand il.
Mr.. Belmont does not want the
clause in the confederate constitu,
| ton inserted in the federal consti
tuition, Ffor the reason that the
United States may in the future be
unfortunately in condition when
| the grant of such bounties from the
treasury and the levying of duties
and taxes upon foreign importa
tons to promote and foster Especial
branch of industry may be vital tc
the life of the nation; and it would
therefore be very unwise to lay
down hard and fast line to limit
| the doings of a patriotic Congress:
in the premises"
/ The ideas of Mr.. Belmont are full
of interest at this time, when the
tariff question is fast becoming tht
leading if not the only important
issue between the great parties.