Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-04-01


script, or previously agreed upon between the
parties; -: -. -. -
wise you yiolate two fundamental
principles of free government, viz,
that taxes can be levied for public
purposes only, and that no more can
be eNacted than such purposes re-
quire., sei
The tariff must always be, as it has
been, the chief source of revenue, as
at once the most prod ductive, easiest
to collect, and least burdensome TO
the great mass of the people, and the
above principles are as applicable to
it US to any other species of taxation.
But in the gathering of taxes by a duty
on imports ithas been the-unbrolSen
policy of our laws to favor our own
industries and productions, not by
prohibitory duties or Fatcs so highly
protective as to fostermopppolies or
unfairly burden any one GLASS or Sec
ton for the, enrie ielpent of any other,
but by such reasonable Imports as will
produce revenue and give our own
people in the industries, whore they
can complete with others, a fair adj
vantage in our home markets. Yet
we have also to seek other markets
for thcsurplus products ofour mines,
farms and factories, and artificial
laws cannot alter the natural laws of
trade or the PHYSICAL laws of climate
and production.
As a rule the ad valorem duties arc
the faireSt and uniform rate inl-
practicable,
''Wbat is your opinion of tho Nor
rison btll?''
Z" The general object of the bill, to
reduce war taxes, and to leave our
enormous surplusrevenuc in the only
safe and proper treasury for it, tho
pockets of the people, is highly COM
mendable. OF it's details 1 have not
made the study necessary to just
opinion, but in the particular in which
it affects the interests of West Vir-
ginia tits notpossible forherrcprescn-
tatives to support it. I strongly
urged on the committee during its
preparation to leave our interests as
the preseRt law rates them. Instead
ofthis they put our salt, coal and lum-
bcr on the free list. OF these items,
bitiminous coal Is tho one in which
several counties of my district arc
specially Interested. The last Con.
gress put it on,.the FREQ list, so far as
used by steam vessels in, our foreign
and co0sting trade, otherwise provid-
ing duty Of scycnty-tive cents per
long ton. This is less than twenty
per centGd ralorem, while the average
duty under the revised tariff is forty
one (41) per cent. This gives mod
crate advantage in the eastern mar
kets to our Maryland and West Vir-
gini mines, as owned by New Eng
land capitalists. Anthracite coal,
competition, is on the free
list. Soft coal is used, not for do
mestic purposes, but to make gas,
steam and iron. II I am. correctly
informed it costs more to put ton Of
our coal in New York say, than ton
of Provincial coal. Hence the profit
to the mine owner is but little more
than fifteen cents per ton under tho
tariff of seventy-fivc cents, all tho
rest representing the labor of mining
and transporting, so that the tariff Is
strictly in the interest of labor.
Moreover the Morrison bill, by adj
mitting Provincial coal free on con-
dttion of reciprocal free tradc with
Canada, swaps off the seaboard from
Baltimore to Portland, which is our
market for q free market in Ontario
for Ohio coal. ! shall present this
whole matter TO the House, with caro-
and detail when the debate comes on. /"
In further CONVERSATION Mr.. Wilson
expressed himsclfyery fully on the
coming campaign, State and National
expressing decided<preference for
Bayard as the Democratic candidate
for President. Ofseveral gentlemen
in the House, including Governor
Dorshcimer and Mr.. Hopkins, of
Pittsburgh, he spoke with admiration
as possible names before the convcn-
ton on the ticket. Lam.