Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-09-28
The Tariff Commission.

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CHARLESTON, S. c., September 26.-Four
If the tariff commissioners, Messrs. Hayes,
Bo,eler Garland and Oliver, arrived here
last night from Savannah, and Mr.. Porter,
this morning, from New York. They held
q. session to day in the rooms of the Cham
her of Commerce. After some remarks
from Mr.. Hayes as to the object of the
commission, a short address was made by
S. Y. Tupper, president of the
Chamber of Commerce. He was aware
he said. that the country must have tariff
for revenue. There was no such thing as
freq trade. In commercial country, free
trade is an absurdity, misnomer, and decep-
non He voted TO express the sentiments
of the chamber and of the commercial COM
muuity of Charleston by saying that, while
+fav were IN favor of tariff for revenue, they
desired the protection of American indus
tries to that extent. The shipping interests
of the country should also be protected,
even bv reasonable subsidies to
shrp-builers and to shp-oWnerS.
What was wanted in South Carolina was
al incidental protection to lis growing
manufactures and ID its agricultural inter-
ests. Rice culture was very important IN
Scnth Carolina. The bulk of the farmers
along the sea-board derived their support
from rice culture. 1t gave support to 5O, 900
Operatls es II the held-nearly all OF Whom
were cOiored.
Mr.. Upper had no specific recommenda-
ton to make as TO the tariff.
THEODORE d. Jervey, commission mer-
chant made an argument in favor of the
maintenance of the duty on rice. He did
not desire any increase, but thought that an
assurance of the stability of the present
rate would increase the area planted in
rice. As a merchant he expressed the
opinion that tbs consumer would be ben
ettted by T. reduction of the duty.
W. l.. Trenholm, merchant, expressed
views similar to those of MIR. Jervey. He
said he was a free trader, but so long as the
present pc. = of protection is followed, he
favored the present duty on rice j. B.
Blssel, rice planter, expressed views similar
to those of Jeryey.
Edward Willis made statement as to the
phosphate interests of South Carolina, but
declared ulI15O-1 odll5uSd Will Tue present
duties.
A. B. Rose, president of the Agricultural
Society of South Carolina, said that
the farmers of that State would
be glad to have the agricultural impl l~ments
and cotton ties admitted free of duty. He
had recently purchased a narrow gauge 10
comotiye which he might have Obtained
abroad nifty per cent. cheaper but for i'm
port duty.
Mr. Oliver Suppose that the manufac-
turers of locomotives should make that same
statement as to rice?
MIR, kose-I suppose they would be right
in saying so.
q. NJ. Paullitzer made an argument in ia
vor of the reduction of duties on salt.
W. S. Hastie, stock broker, declared
that the people of South Carolina
did not desire any changes in the
tariff. This is the first time in tariff
money. Cotton factories were being es-
tebhshed and much capitalinvested in them,
AID the interests of South Carolina were
now identical with those of Massachusetts,
They were prepared to take the tariff as it
Is and could succeed with it as well as any
other State III the Union, but they wanted
permanence.
The commission left here this evening for
Wilmington, n. c..
WILMINGTON, n. c., September 27.-The
tariff commissions arrived here this morn
ing, and held their session in the custom
house. The subjects brought TO it's alton
ton were rice, peanuts, chalk and silk CO.
cOOns. The rice interest was advocated by
D. l.. Russell, Donald McRae and 5. L.
Fremont; the peanut and chalk interests
tyr nd ha ell
OOus interest was incidentally men
toned by Mr. Fremont. The advocates of
the rice interest, expressed themselves
satisfied with the present duties, but de-
clared that any reduction of them would be
fatal to that interest. In regard to peanuts,
Mr.. French gave the average annual pro-
ducts of the Wilmington section of 12O, 600
bushels. Up to 1861 it was equal to seven
eighths of the entire crop of the United
States, but under the duty of one cent per
pound, imposed in 1864, the in
dustry had increased until now
Tennessee produced from 800, 900
to 600, 600 bushels, and Virginia from 70O,-
900 to d million bushels. The price was
affected by the importation of African pea
nuts. The discontinuance of duty would
put an end to the peanut industry in North
Carolina, and impoverish many small farm
ers. AS to chalk, large deposits of it were
found in the State, but its freight to New
York and Philadelphia, where chalk is made
into whiting would be higher than the cos
of the English chalk, which is carried there
as ballast As to silk cocoons, the soil anC
climate of the State were favorable to tn
cultivation of mulberry trees
and the raising of silk worms
Both of those interests might be developed
by the imposition of the duty on chalk anC
on silk cocoons. Mr.. Butler asked Mr.
Fremont whether any complaints came VI
from the farming community about tn
tariff.
MIR. Fremont replied in the negative
All that was heard about it was from Con
gress and stump speeches He thought
however, that the popular side of the ques
ton was tariff for revenue, with incidenta
protection, but as the rice people wanted
the present duty on rice maintained, the!
could not ask to have the duties taken off o
other practical articles.
The commission left for Richmond thi
afternoon.
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