Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-02-07
THE TARIFF.

Ia AANhs n
inois, has, at last, introduced into
Congress 4 bill that is indicative of
his individual opinion Of what ought
to be democratic tariff policy in the
coming presidential contest. 1t is
entitled. San act to reduce import
duties and war tariff taxes"-of itself
a good campaign text, for almost
everybody, except the bankers, and
monopolists, and politicians that favor
extravagant expenditures, are anxious
to lop off national surplus revenues.
The main question, however. is:
How shall this be done without injury
to existing interests:
1t is very safe to say that how to
get up q tariff bill that shall reduce
the rates of duties and, at the same
time, lessen the income from foreign
importation without injury to any
body, is a thing no ''fellah'' a find
out, and, if any one should be so for
turate as to cut this Gordian knot,
that man would be the LEDGER's an
didate for the Presidency.
Mr.. Morrison has a wide reputation
as a tariff expert and as a wise q d
cautious statesman. His tendencies
at least are towards free trade, and
there has been some fear in some
sections that the fraction Of the de-
mocracy he is the chosen represen-
tation of, would make the mistake of
pledging themselves to free trade, or
to a tariff for revenue only, which are
widely understood to mean one and
the same thing; but the bill he has
introduced, if accepted by the COM
mittee of ways and e a of which
Morrison is chairman, will dissipate
all such ideas wherever they exist.
1t assumes that the rates of the ex-
listing tariff, Republican in its make
up, and ayowedly protective IN It's
provisions, were relatively fairly pro-
portioned and proposes, as a means
of ~lessening taxation, that only
eighty per cent. of those rates shall
be collected after July l, 1884; and
for fear that such a cut should re
duce the duty on some unconsideret
article of import too !ow, limits The
operation of its proposed reformation
to the rates of the Morrill, tariff, alst
of Republican origin and notoricusI,.
the most protective tariff that existed
in this country before the var. Be
siles this, it proposes a very -consid
cradle addition to the free list, main
l. composed of raw material TO
manufacturers.
Mr.. Morrison's bill has been so re
Gently presented that sufficient tim
has not elapsed for the formation 0
areliable opinion concerning it; bu
the LEDGER at present thinks that i
will be objected to as tending to in
crease, rather than diminish the ma
tional revenues. If it increases for
eign importation it will certainly hav
that effect; but doubtless great com
pensatlon therefor will be found i
the lessenIng of the cost of articles O
foreign production to their consum
ers, in the furnishing of cheaper ms
terial for manufacturing, and in en-
abl;ng the country either 10 pay Of
the national debt faster, or to d
away with the whole internal revenue
Whether this bill will be endorsed b
the committee, of which Mr.. Nor.
son is chairman, remains to be seer
If it shall, ii will doubtless lead t
protracted congressional debate d
viding every community, and NOR
o. less disturbing business prior t
the fall elections, with an effect upo
the final result that cannot be calcu
fatod