The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-03-01
speech Of Hon. H. q. {. Lamar, on
the Tariff Question.
Mr. LAMAR said:

various amendments which have been
proposed to the measure under con-
sideration. The progress of the dis
cussion and the votes together show
that it is impossible to effect any large
reduction or any material reduction
o.. the taxes and at the same time
retain the system III ''protecton for
projections sake" One or the other
must be given up. The demand for
the reduction of taxes, which has Of
late years become so urgent, has
imposed a hard and delicate task
upon the. party in power, and they
confessed their inability to perform it
by creating a Tariff Commission.
This expedient would have been en-
tirely unnecessary had we nothing
else to do than to settle the relation
Of taxation to revenue. andeed, it
would seem that with too abundant
revenue no task would be easier to
perform, and more agreeable and
grateful in the performance, than that
Of lifting from the people the burden
of taxation which they felt to be UNI
necessary and therefore oppressive;
and suppose history does not furnish
another instance Of a people being
heavily and needlessly taxed for IA
long series of years for no other rea-
son except that their rules were una
BILE to devise a method of reduction.
But, sir, the cause of this has been
manifested in the progress of this
measure through the Senate. This
body is concerned, not with the rela-
ton of taxation to revenue-that
would be a simple natter-but with
the relation of manufactures to the
method of collecting the revenue,
Hence it is that upon each article of
taxation the rate is determined here
bv the question, and how low duty
can be laid with view to reduce
revenue, but how high a one is need
ed to maintain the manufacture Of the
corresponding article in this country.
The Senator from Maine, in an able
speech at the last session, made this
very clear. After declaring himself
in favor of "protection forprotection's
sake" he says:
If there was no public debt, no
interest to pay, no pension-list, no
Army and Navy to support, should
still oppose free-trade and its twin
sister, tariff for revenue, and be in
favor of protective duties.
Well, sir, we have been living for
twenty-three years-eighteen OF them
years of peace-under tariff for
protection, whose duties are uniyer-
sally admitted to be too high with
respect either to revenue Or to taxes.
1t has been retained on the statute
book and enforced upon the people
during that long period not because
it was needed to pay the public debt
or the interest upon it; not because it
was needed to support the Army or
Navy or to defray the other expenses
of government, but because it was
system of protective duties which
could not be disturbed without also,
as it was urged, disturbing the man
ufactures which it had been designed
to build up and shelter from compo-
tition.
There is therefore this conflict
between the public demand and the
convictions of the party in power.
The people demand reduction of
this burden of taxation, but the party
in power has for twenty years insisted
that it is no burden at all but a bless
ing to the whole country. They AS
sert, and have done so repeatedly in
this debate, that the duties upon in
ported articles do not 90 into the
price of the articles at all, but that
their effect is simply to put upon the
market the corresponding products of
home manufacture at cheaper prices
to the consumer and to reduce those
of the imported articles also. They
have insisted that this high tariff has
favored the working classes by re-
ducing the money price of the most
important reductions and at the same
fine by increasing the wages Of labor,
30 essential to the maintenance of our
institution and the welfare of our
people. They have pressed the argui
ment that this protective system, as
i; now exits, by diverting labor from
the unremunerated pursuits of agri-
culture to the more productive indus
try of manufactures, inviting capital
into these more profitable investments,
has increased the annual product of
tie nations wealth and diffused its
benefits throughout the Republic.
They have pointed to the magnificent
development Of our varied industries,
dwelling upon their benefit to all
classes farmers, capitalists, and la
borers alike-and claim that it is due
to the existing system Of protection.
The great manufacturing industries
have been bound to its support by |
the belief that their prosperity depends
upon its maintenance. In a word,sir
as | first remarked, they have main
tanned and do maintain that this
so-called burden of taxation which
the people say must be reduced is no
burden at all, but blessing, which
Increases the profits of capital, raises
the wages Of labor, cheapens the
prices of products, and puts us all in.
funds. Its advocates, therefore, can
not take step toward the reduction
81 tariff taxation without contravening
ihe fundamental principles upon
which the protective system rests; for
4 it confers all these blessings, if it
lses increase the annual product of
he nations wealth, if it does raise the
wages of labor and the profits of
,apital at the same time and cheaper
he products Of consumption as well,
o repeal it,, or to reduce it, Or to
modify it is simply to diminish if not .
. destroy these great and important
'enelits to the country. t