National Republican., 1883-02-16
ECONOMISTS IN COUNCIL.
First Annual Session in this City Of the New
Association.
Protective and Revenue Tariffs Con-
trasted by Judge Lawrence
An Able Paper by Mr.. D. H, Mason on the UnconSh-
nationality Of Treaty Tariffs.
MIR. j. Is. Dirweil Explains who Those
Oppressed by the TnriT Arc

the American Economists association was held
in the Y. NJ G. A. building last night Judge
Lawrence in tho chair, and Dr. Edward
Young recording secretary. Among those
present were:
Prof ]. r. Dodge, statsticiau agricultural de-
partment: L. G.. Jillson, speaker of the Rhode
Island house Of representatives; Edward Young,
late chief of the United States bureau of statistics;
W. II. Armstrong assistant solicitor Of internal
revenue; David II. Mason, of Chicago; g. b. Dix
well, of Boston l.. snnlal, Of New York; Gcorge
Office; II. B. AIcicalf Of Pawtucket, II. l.: George
II, Ely, of Cleveland j. NJ Wilson, Of Washing
ton; Hon: J. $. NJ. Williams, ex-momber OF con
gross, of Boston.
The meeting was formally opened by Judge
Lawrence, who delivered
THE OPENING ADDRESS
The paper he read was on tho contrast he.
tween protective tariff and u tariff for revc-
nuo only. Ho said, "The Association Of
American Economies was organized TO su5-
tain and secure such legislation by congress
and otherwise as will encourage, protect, and
do Justice TO the Industries of the people
of the United States. The agencies TO be em-
ployed for this purpose arc essays, oral discus
sion, the newspaper press, and the distribu-
ton of printed matter by such means as
may be voluntarily provided. The purpose Of
the association Is so comprehensive as to favor
all legislation which will secure remuneratiye
employment for capital and liberal reward
for labor or order that these economic forces
may move onward in harmonious co-opera-
tion in producing wealth to be shared in just
proportion by the sources of its creators. This
legislation necessarily includes all demanded
in tho interest of or as a matte; of justice to
those who labor in the production of wealth.
One form of legislation essential TO the pros
perity of American industries is "protec-
tive TARIFF as distinguished from "prohibi-
t,,, to,.i hnn nd n - IN
tariff" or " free trade" on the other. These
terms are not always employed with precis-
ion and il may be well ut the outset TO define
them, and then to present some means in
favor of the protection policy as a consequence
against tho opposing theories of " tariff for
revenue only" and of free trade.
tariff in our system of legislation is
duty or tax required by act of congress to be
paid by those who import into the United
States goods manufactured or articles pro-
| duced in any foreign country. The effect of
the existing tariff law is shown by its opera
tiop for tho fiscal year ended June 30 1852,
| on imports of merchandise entered for con-
sumption as follows Merchandise imported
duty free, 500, ,72l, ,9S1 dutiab.e merchandise,
$505, 5,491 967; total, 716,2l30i5; total duty
collected, $216, 6,l3S,916. A tariff law properly
adjusted is wise method of raising revenue.
This is rendered certain by many con.
siderations, only some of which may now be
stated /. The national government must
have revenue, the requisite annual amount of
which may be stated at $300,0000O0. This
cannot or should not be raised by tax on
farms, and houses, and factories, because those
are taxed all they can bear under the au-
| thority of the states for state and local pur-
poses. Additional tax on these cannot be
| tolerated.
2. A tariff is readily collected at few points
with comparatively few officers and mt mod
| 70 hp a
collected Lass year $l3s,O0s,5 ,563; other custom
houses, S5925l,1l The cost was only 81 per
cent. To collect the same amount on land
and other property all over the country would
fill the land with tax collectors, immensely
add to tho cost, and vastly increase oppor-
| tunitics for fraud and danger of loss.
A portion of the tax comes off the for
eign producer. Foreign sellers OF goods pay
for the privilege of selin- hero. Brought
into competition with American goods and
with the tax, he is compelled to reduce his
price and his profit and thus pays part OF
the revenues which satisfy our pension re-
auirements and public debt interest. Much
Of the duty paid on foreign commodities il
voluntary. People who buy foreign goods
will pay the taxes on them but they can omit
to buy if they choose, This is tho best form
of taxation,
Tariff laws may exist in different forml
and with different results. A prohibitory
tariff law is one of the extremes which ha
few supporters. As n general rule IL is de
cidedly Objectionable. Under certain circum
stances it would be possible with such
tariff for some classes of manufacturers /,
create monopoies. Such combinations can
however, rarely occur, and temporary evil
should not be used as pretcxt to defeat pro
tective legislation in the interest of the peo
ple's labor and skill.
Absolute free trade is the absence of al
tariff legislation. Its advocates are numerou
and able its theories plausible, but impraC
tcable. The Cobden club, of England, 70
example, Is one of the advocates of free trade
commanding money for its purposes fror
those of Great Britain who have impoverishe
Ireland and reduced tho population of tina
illfated island TO beggary and want. Thi
club publishes FREQ trade pamphlets and dis
tributes them broadcast over the country t
persuade people to buy Of English manutaC
turors those articles which should be pro
duced by the labor and skill of American
workmen.
3, A protective tariff and q tariff 70
revenue only" are antipodal in theory an
principle, and in practice they produce widel
different results, The necessity for "prC
tective tariff" and its superiority ever
tariff for revenue only" will be seen from
brief statement of what each is.
A protective tariff selects imported article
that might como into competition with thos
|
: mits free those articles which do not SO com
= pete. Thus it 'leyies duties on iron, woolc
and cotton goods, and manufactured article
: generally TO secure toproducers here the chic
privilege of making them at an advantag
over foreign producers With the tariff o
; imports foreign producers will in part b
driven from the field, or if they come they wIl
Q be met with tax from which the produce
Q here Is exempt,and thus the manufacturer her
can afford to pay better wages than the fUreig
. producer. One chief object is to give TO Amer
| lean producers the exclusive privileges, so ia
g as possible of supplying all the wants of on
I people, But those articles which do not com
| in competition with our laborers or producer
a are admitted free Of duty, as for instance
tea, coffee dyestulls, Sc. These articles ad
mitted FREQ last year were valued at S2l0
, 72l,0Sl those paying duty, S505, ,49l, 1857,
: tariff for revenue only" makes no discrm
D ination in favor of the native producer, levif
duties solely for revenue, knows no free lis
| and cares not il the native producer is drive
+ by the foreign importer from the market
Another difference between these tariffs
| that protection leyies higher duties on art
l oles the chief value of which is derived frol
labor, and lowers duties ON those the chi,
value of which is in tho material, while
revenue tariff makes no distinction, The oil
: iect of this discrimination is to secure bette
- wages for labor, Thus the duty on iron OF
Is 20 nor cent, about 50 cents per ton. LabC
p. is comparatively small element in its valu
y On pig iron, with larger element of labo
the duty is 81 per ton, and on har IRON wit
!; still more labor, $50 per ton.
' Another difference is that when two rat
l,a t,p,.n