The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-13
A TARIFF FOR REvENUE ONLY.


tariff for revenue only means tariff laid
upon articles of foreign merchandise that
are not raised or produced in this country,
and upon no other. There may be readers
of the Journal who believe this, but the
editor of that paper is not such fool. The
list of foreign merchandise of that class if
taxed to the highest point that it could pos
sibly have been would not in all probability
raise $50, 900 600 per annum, while the neces-
stiles of the Government require that at
least four times that amount of taxes shall
be raised by tariff duties. The plain mean
ing of the phrase is that the Government
should look merely to tariff duties as a
means of raising revenue, aud that the sole
object of the laws passed for that purpose
should be to raise the necessary revenue
without i'm posing any additional burthens
upon the taxpayer in the form of protective
duties In other words, that the people
should be taxed only for the support of the
Government and not for the benefit of par
ticular classes.
To give emphasis to this proposition and 10
show the abSurdity of any other construc-
ton, we ask attention to a few facts and
figures.
The appropriations by Congress for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1888, were, IN
Guiding pensions and deficiencies, 1925, 24s,-
943.75; deducting pensions and deficiencies
there is still left for the ordinary expenses
of the Government the sum OF $166, 000,-
1919. This does not include the expendi-
lures for the year under permanent appro-
TO the sum of $50, 40, 1900. The chief item
of this expenditure is the interest on our
public debt. which has been somewhat re-
duced by scaling the interest on our bends,
but which is still near $50 600 600 and will
be but little less than that for some years to
come. Putting the expenditure under per-
manent appropriations at SO, 900, 600 for this
year we have an expenditure, including
pensions and deficiencies, of 1866, 2ls. 943.
The amount appropriated for pensions is
500, 900 600, and is perhaps larger sum than
will be required for any one year in the fu-
ture but ii 10 the next year or two il
should be reduced down to So, OOO, 600,
it is not az all likely that il
will fall below this latter sum for
many years. Take then the ordinary ex-
penses at $lG6, 1000, 40, permanent appropri-
atoms, including interest on our public deb;,
$40 OOO, 900. pensions $50 600 coo, and we
have 1896 0O0,7i So that il will be seen
that the revenue that must be raised an
nually to meet this enormous expenditure
must be in the neighborhOod of $500, 0O00 O0
The largest revenue we have ever raised ia
any one year from tart fl duties was last year
and it amounted TO about S2l6 100000. The
whole amount of foreign merchandise from
which that duty was collected was but little
more than $500. OOO,O 900. The Whole amount
of foreign merchandise upon which duty
could have been levied was about 500, 000,
600. The rate per cent. upon dutiable goods
was equal to 49, per cent. ad valorem, and if
all foreign merchandise had been taxed ad
valorem it would have equaled 80 per cent.
The imports last year were larger than any
preceding year. and were as large as we can
expect them to be until we have something
else than the products of The soil to keep
up our side OF our foreign commerce.
There is now a clsmor for the repeal of the
whole internal revenue system under which
at present the chief part OF that balance of
our revenue is raised. If this should be done
in the near future and we should attempt TO
raise the whole of that revenue for the neces-
sary and extraordinary expenses of the Gov
eminent by custom duties, we would have to
abolish our free list and levy tariff equal to
about AZ per cent. upon the whole amount OF
foreign merchandise imported into this coun-
try. But if we retain what still remains of
the internal revenue system, which, in our
opinion, is the wise thing to do, and which
Will probably meet the expenditures under
permanent appropriations, then tariff laid
with the express purpose OF raising the bal
snce of the revenue necessary to meet the
expenses of the Government, say 220,000,-
COO, or tariff for revenue only" can no.
fall below an average rate of duty Of so per
cent, and If laid upon such goods and mer-
chandise as will best bear taxing 1t viii nee
essarlly fall upon those classes that
come most sharply into competition
with domestic articles and will afford
a higher Incidental protection than
any domestic industry has any real need of.
The difference is that 8 tariff laid for revenue
would be free from the vice of class ieeisla-
tlOU, IL WOuiu Dave uO l1NO4cu CthoSSo. AAC
one thing looked 10 would DO the needs of
the Government ana the incidental protec-
tien, which is a burthen the consumer
would have to pay, would not be appropria-
ted by few rich monopolies tina have the
power to control legislation in their own in
teresis, as the case was in regard to the
American Iron and Steel Association in a. =
justing the duties on steel rails and steel
blooms in the present tariff The Associa-
! ton being the owners of all of the patents
end processes for making Bsssemer steel are
/ illustrating the beauties of the protective
system in monopolizing the manufacture
not only of steel blooms, but steel rails also,
aud as a consequence of this vicious policy
we have two idle steel mills in Indiana.
|
The Lafayette Courier (ReD.) thus speaks
of Professor Smart in connection with his
recent call to the Presidency of Purdue:
This is an excellent choice. Mr.. Smartis known
| TO many OF cur citizens. and ranks among the