National Republican., 1884-12-02

Win Great Britain in foreign markets,
especially in the markets of tho South
American states, is as certain as anything
in the future can be. The steps which
may DO needful to make this competition
successful 1t will be for congress TO deter
mine after the commission has performed
its duty. To mo IL seems certain that IL
cannot properly be done before. A nation
with 56,000000 people, doubling every
twenty-five years, a people distinguished
for enterprise and inventive power, in
possession of n country of vast extent aud
rich beyond comparison In developed and
undevoloped resources, ought not much
longer to bo prevented from having full
share In the honor aud the gain of inter-
national trade.
In the commencement of its work tho
commission should, l think, regard the
following points AS being settled:
First That the public revenues are not
to be in excess of what may be required
for the support of tho government and
tho gradual reduction Of the public debt.
Second. That our manufactures, which
under the fostering care of the govern
ment havo attained such gigantic proper
tions and whose prosperity is essential to
the welfare of all othor interests, arc not
to be put in jeopardy by radical and
sweeping changes in tho tariff; and that
all reductions of import duties should bo
made with a view to their ultimate ad-
vantage by opening to thom markets
from which they are now in n large de-
gree excluded.
Something has been done, and moro
might be done, to increase our foreign
trade by reciprocal treaties, but the ad-
vantage to be derived from such treaties
would be stricted and partial; and there
are very serious objections to treaties
which affect tho public revenues, on tho
ground that they are an encroachment
upon the rights of the house of ropro-
sentatives, In which, under the constitu-
tion, all revenue bills must originate.
AS TO the persons who should constitute
the commission there will be various
opinions. 1t might bo composed of per-
sons who havo no connecson with tho
government, or of senators and members
of tho house, but strongly incline to the
opinion that it should bo composed of
members of tho house only, because, in
the investigation of tho subject OF our
foreign trade, questions affecting tho
| public revenues will necessarily bo in
volved; and that members should be
selected from those who have been re-
elected to the forty-ninth congress, in
order that its work may DO explained and
defended by those who have performed
it, 1t would be advisable, also that the
secretary of the treasury should OK otficio
be member of the commission, in order
that the views Of the treasury department
| and those of tho commission may be in
accord.
In the preceding remarks the tariff has
been only indirectly referred to- From
this 1t must not be inferred that am not
in favor of a reform of the tariff, but
rather that the subjects of the tariff and
foreign trade are so intimately connected
that they must, in my opinion, be consd-
cred together. Have we not reached tho
stage when q policy should be adopted
which will embrace and harmonize the
great interests of the country?
If such q commission as has been sug-
gested had been appointed, and its work
could be performed at an early date,
should not bo disposed to say anything
bearing directly upon the tariff; but as
relief from the present burden Of taxa
tion is urgently and justly demanded,
deem it my duty to suggest that some-
thing in this direction should be done
without delay. Owing TO the shortness
of the time allowed to me for the con-
sideration of tho subject. am not pre-.
pared to name the articles upon which
duties should be removed or reduced. |
should regret this if congress were not
already in possession of the facts which
should govern its action. This much,
however, it may be proper for me to rec
ommend:
First. That the existing duties upon
raw materials which are to be used in
manu- facture should bo removed. This
can be done in the interest Of our foreign
trade.
Second. That the duties upon tho arti-
cles used or consumed by those who are
the least able to bear the burden of tax
alton should be reduced. This also can
be effected without prejudice to our ex-
port trade.
In regarl to our internal-revenue
taxes, l have to say that, as these taxes,
with the exception OF the tax upon
whisky, ought not to be and will not be
needed for revenue if appropriations are
kept within reasonable bounds and rigid
economy is established in all branches of
the public servire, | see no good reason
for their continuance. The tax upon
bank note circulation | shall refer to in
my remarks upon national banks. Taxes
upon agricultural productions, although
indirectly levied, are inconsistent with
our general policy, and tobacco Is the
only one of these productions which has
orally used, and which adds so much to
the com fort of the large numbers of our
population who earn their living by
manual labor cannot properly be consid-
cred luxury, and as tho collection of
the tax is expensive and troublesome to
the government, and is especially obnoxi-
Gus and irritativo TO small manufacturers,
tho tax upon tobacco should, in my iudg-
ment, be removed.
The tax upon whisky could not be re-
pealed without disregard Of public sem
timent, nor without creating n necessity
for higher duties upon imported goods,
but while this is true the tax upon the
alcohol used in manut featuring might be
removed with decided benefit to homo in
dustry and foreign trade.
Under tho provisions of section 3i33,
| Revised Statutes, as amended, spirits used
in the manufacture for export of certain
enumerated articles are freed from the
tax of 80 cents per gallon. This law has
greatly increased the expectation of the
articles therein named.
These articles, however, constitute but
a very small portion of those in tho manu-
facturo of which alcohol is used, or in
which it would be used were it not for the
tax thereon.
In Great Britain spirits have been used
in manufactures free of tax since the year
1856, the spirits having been previously
mixed with wood naphtha or "mothy-
ated."
1t Is understood that spirits thus
methylated are unfit to be used as a bever-
age while they remain uninjured for the
general purposes of manufacturing 1t is
suggested, therefore. that provision BE-
| made Tor the use Of domestic methylated
sniFitS free of tax. Hs IA measure Lendiup
| to encourage manufactures, both for home
use and for expectation.
In regard TO our shipping interests Mr..
McCulloch says: In direct connection
with the condition of our foreign trade is
the condition of our merchant service.
Tho causes of the decline of our shipping
are SO Mnll nnl nrstnnh TINT nnN rrmnrks