Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-29
THE BRITISH TARIFF.

A correspondent inquiries II England
practices the free trade which the Cob.
den club and her statesman of both
parties preach. Yes and no. The
tariff question has for long time been
eliminated from British politics, as a
party line, Conservatives and Liberals
agreeing in the support of the nation
al policy of levying taxes with refer
ence to the manufacturing and CON-
mercial interests of the country. The
" free trade which England practices
is based on the policy of protection
more closely and singly than any tariff
act that passed the congress OF the
United States. Golden was as Jealous
for British interests as Blaine is for
American interests, their differences
as to methods and means being wholly
due TO the differences in the conditions
and requirements Of the situations.
The same doctrine of protection to
home vineyards that makes Italy and
some other countries levy q tariff so
high "a to cut of the importation of
American alcohol has always animated
the British free-traders. There is to-
day surfeit of highwines in the
United States because the immense
European trade of few years ago
has been cut of by protective duties
levied by the governments of the
countries to which we exported large
quantities of our corn juice. AT one
period the largest distillery in the
world was distilling Illinois corn for
the European market exclusively. The
tendency, taking Europe as a whole,
is more and more to protect home
interests from American exports, not
in retaliation, bnt in accordance with
the supreme law of nature. the law Of
self-preservation. That is their privi-
lege. 1t is only when protection wears
the false guise of sanitary regulation
that the American people have entered
any protest or had just cause of COM
plant. Every government must legis-
late for its own people and country,
Just as every man must mind his own
business and promote his own interest.
But perhaps the inquiry was direct
ed toward details rather than princi-
Piles. According to official figures the
revenue of the United Kingdom for
the fiscal year. ending March 81, 1883,
was f89, OO4 ,456, of which the sum of
fl9, 657 900 was raised by customs.
The largest source of revenue to the
British government is excise, f26 $780,
900; next comes property and income
tax, Ell 900, 600; third, the stamp tax,
Ell ,84l 900; fourth, postofiice, e. $780,
900; fifth, land tax aud house duty,
e., 800 900; sixth, postal telegram, e.
10000; seventh, crown lands, $780,
900; other miscellaneous receipts, f5,-
267, GIL. 1t will be observed that the
British government clings to the in
come tax, stamp duties, and direct
taxation of land and houses, which the
United States either never levied at
all. or only as war measures, and that
the Postoffice department is made
source of net revenue In this coun-
try the aim is to make it rs near self
neither more nor less. as
possible.
Turning to the English tariff. We
ind that both tea and coffee are sub
ect to a customs duty; they are on the
free list here. Beer is subject to q
heavy duty, aud so is manufactured
tobacco, soap, and numerous drugs.
Wine and distilled spirits pay duty,
but not heavy one. The wine of the
rich pays from rs Cd TO IS a gallon,
and the brandy, gin, and rum from los
i'd per gallon, while the beer tariff is
,ne pound Cd per barrel. The tObac-
20 tariff is from IS Cd to IS Cd per
Instead of discriminating in
avor of the luxuries of the poor, the
British policy is to discriminate In
lavor of the rich. Ii should be added
hat all articles upon which taxes are
evied by the board of inland, or in
ernal revenue, are charged with sim
lar charges if imported from abroad.
The more closely one looks into the
'evenne system of Great Britain, the
more firmly will he be convinced that
he national system of taxation which
low prevails in the United States Is,
II a pre-eminent degree, based on the
principles of genuine "revenne re-
Orm ."-lnter-Ocean.