The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-12-06

the prediction of Golden by becoming u CONF
petitor with Great Britain in the Brazilisn
markets? Ought not this to be attemptedtn
the interests of our own manufacturers?
Reference is made to our trade with Bkl7l
because it is much larger than that NTH Eherj
South America States, but our trade with all
of them is of the same one-sided and ansatls-
factory character
When the real condition of our foreign trade
and the character of the competition in which
we must sooner or later engage are fully I'M
derstood, it will be found that our inability to
make that trade as free as our BEST interests
require lies in the necessity which exists for
heavy import duties, which although they
may be levied for revenue only, must be in
large degree protective.
THE COMMISSIONS WORK DEFINED.
To show how these duties may be imposed
and distributed as to neither imperil our man
ulacturers nor obsiruet our foreign trade,
while the treasury is kept in an easy condition,
will be the task of tbA commission. That the
task will be very difficult one is certain !;
that it may be successfully performed ought
to be certain also.
That we are to be Il competitor with Great
Britain in foreign markets, especially in the
markets of the South America States, is as
certain rs anything in the tuture can be. The
steps which may be needful to make this COM
petition successful it will be for Congress to
determine after the commission has performed
its duty.
In the commencement of its work the CON-
mission should, think, regard the following
points as being settled
First. The public revenues are not to be
in excess of what may be required for the
support of the government, and the gradual
reduction of the public debt.
Second That our manufactures, which
under the fostering care of the government
have attained such gigantic proportions and
whose prosperity is essential to the welfare
of all other interests, are not to be put in
jeopardy by radical and sweeping changes in
the tariff; and that all reductions OF import
duties should be made with a view to their
ultimate advantage by opening to them mar
kets from which they are now in large de-
gree excluded.
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
Something has been done, and more might
be done, to increase our foreign trade by re-
ciprocal treaties, but the advantage to be de-
rived from such treaties would be restricted
and partial; and there are very serious obJec-
tions to treaties which affect the public reve-
nues, on the ground that they are an encroach-
ment upon the rights of the House of Repre-
sentatives, in which, under the constitution,
all revenue bills must originate.
As to the persons who should constitute
the commission there will be various opinions.
| strongly incline to the opinion that 1t
should be composed of members OF the
Honse only, because, in the investigation OF
the subject of our foreign trade questions at
fecting the public revenues will necessarily
be involved; and that members should be
selected from those who have been reelected
to the Forty ninth Congress, in order that
its work may be explained and defended by
those who have performed it. 1t would be
advisable, also, that the Secretary of the
Treasury should ex-officio be a member OF
the commission in order that the views of
the Treasury Department and those of the
commission may be in accord.
FAyORs REFORM OF THE TARIFF.
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 considered together. Have we
not reached the stage when policy should be
adopted which will embrace and harmonic
the great interests of the country? AS relief
from the present burden of taxation is ur-
gently and justly demanded, | deem it my
duty to suggest that something in this dlrec-
ton should be done without delay. This
much it may be proper for me to recommend;
First. That the existing duties upon raw
materials which are to be used in manutac-
ture should be removed. This can be done in
the interest of our foreign trade.
Second. That the duties upon the articles
used or consumed by those who are the least
able to bear the burden of taxation should be
reduced. This also can be effected without
prejudice to our export trade.
NO TAX on TOBACCO.
In regard to our internal revenue taxes
have to say that, as these taxes, with the ex-
ception of the tax upon whisky, ought not to
be and will not be needed for revenue if APP
preparations are kept within reasonable
bounds and rigid economy is established in
all branches of the public service, see no
good reason for their continuance. Taxes
upon agricultural productions, although in
directly levied, are inconsistent with our
general policy, and tobacco is the only one OF
these productions which has been taxed.
Ar ARTICLE which is so generally used, and
which adds so much to the comfort Of the
large numbers of Our population who earn
their living by manual labor, cannot properly
be considered a luxury. and as the collection
of the tax is expensive and troublesome to
the government and is especially obnoxious
and irritative to small manufacturers, the
tax upon tobacco should, in my judgment, be
removed
The tax upon whisky could not be repealed
without disregard of public sentiment, nor
without creating a necessity for higher duties
upon imported goods, but while this Is true
the tax upon the alcohol used in manutactur
ing might be removed with decided benefit
to home industry and foreign trade.