The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
TARIFF PROBABILITIES. .

It seems to be pretty we'll conceded that
a majority Of. tae members Of that Com
'mittee favor some immediate action for
the reduction of tariff revenues. They
will, however, meet with no little difficult
.ty when they begin their work, for their
views as to. the different industries will
be very divergent. For instance, it is
reported. that seeing the havoc the Ohio
wool.growers played with the Republican
party in that State for taking the tariff
off of unmsnufaetured wool, the Demo
Gratis will seek to placate them by restor.
ing the tariff. at once. It is also serious.
ly stated that there is 8 strong probabili.
ty that the tariff on sugar will be remov-
ed or very largely reduced. 1t will,
therefore, be seen that there is danger OF
the party running into sectional and
class legislation on the matter OF tariff
reform. To further reduce the tar.
if on sugar, without greatly re.
ducing it on all other protected
Industries would be little less than an
outrage upon the agricultural interests Of
the country, and would most probably
make Louisiana a Republican State,
besides producing SERIOUS troubles in
several other States. :,
1t will not be possible, in our opinion,
to make any material tariff changes
without doing injustice'to some interests
until the party is ready to formulate its
position in .fu!i..upon the important issue
of the tariff. There is but -one Of two
plans that e.rike us as entirely fair and
equitable. The FIRST and simplest mode
of collecting revenue is to ascertain the
actual financial necessities of the govern
ment, and then levy uniform per cent.
on all imports sufficient to meet those
necessities and no more. This is tariff
for revenue only, making tho matter of
protection an incident, and not the pur-
pose of the duty levied. In CHS levy
the necessaries Of life should as far as
practicable be admitted free of duty, to
the end that labor might be burdened as
lightly rs the needs Of the government
will permit, Itis true that this policy
would afford undue protection to some
articles, and inadequate protection to
others, bat projection not being tho pur-
pose Of g revenue tariff, this would not
enter into the consideration Of the ques-
ton, theoretically speaking. 1t might,
however, as practical question render
the uniform rate Of tariff imprscticable,
for revenue being the object whenever
the uniform rate goes 80 high as to stop
importation BY permitting American in.
dustries to entirely undersell any class Of
imports, the revenue from such imports
would be entirely, stopped; and on the
other hand, when the uniform rate rem.
ders the duty on q certain class Of arti.
cles 30 Low that the manufacture of such
articles entirely stops at home, such ar
ticles would yield q higher revenue if
the rate Of duty were raised to the high
est point which would admit such foreign
products to this country at rate which
would undersell the home article.
Whenever the duty is made high enough
to enable the home producer to compete
with the. foreign supply, the tariff be.
comes in its nature protective. We be-
lieve that all tariffs levied bythis govern
ment have been either directly for the
purpose Of protecting home industries, or
such protection has been kept steadily
in view as an incident of such levy.
Then the only other equitable form of
tariff in its effects upon American indus
tries, would be tariff adjusted so as to
raise the necessary expenses of the gov.
ernment, and laid upon all imports other
than the exempted uecessaries of life in
such manner as to permit the American
manufacturers to make uniform small
profit in competition with imported goods.
This, while in one sense it might be
termed tariff for revenue, would in re.
ality become protective, for protection
would be the basis of the levy, and not
merely an incident to it.
The tariffs the most complex question
of the day, and any policy that may be
adopted will be severely criticised. II
seems to US, therefore, that the safest
course for the party now is to content
itself with the investigations necessary
To enable it to act with a thorough
knowledge upon this matter. Any re.
vision that can be made now will be Of
necessity very imperfect, and will doubt
less ipjure instead of advancing party
interests. The present indications are
that the Democratic majority in the
House will not be precipitate in its action,
and there is, We take it, but little proba.
bility Of 90 imprudent venture as the
further removal of the duty on sugars
while the tariff remains as at present ar
ranged. 1t would be both unjust and
impolitic. On the other hand, We think