Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-08-28
The First Step of Tariff Reform.

In the second edition of his book on
THE Distribution of Products" Mr.. Ed
ward Atkinson makes study of The recent
commercial statistics of the United States
in order to ascertain what proportion of
the people of this country are engaged in
occupations that bring them in competi-
tion with foreign warkmen. OF the H.
1000 persons enumerated in the census
of 1880 as engaged in all employments'
Mr.. Atkinson finds but 100000 in occu-
pations affected 10y foreigs commerce, the
remaining 100000 being engaged in
work which an be carried on only within
the limits of this country, and is, there
fore, not subject to competition, be the tar
iff high or low. II the material, entering
into the processes of home industries, that
is to say, the raw materials used 10y our
workmen, were free of duty. as well as the
tinished products employed in making
them u J, such AS chemicals, dyesulfs, &c,
the number of persons subject TO the com
petition of foreign manufacturers wosld
producers but 100000 Certainly there
should be some advantage TO the SIG, 1O0,-
900 citizens who confess to a heavy tax
burden for the benefit Of the 100000. But
it seems there is none. The tariff ''enhan
ces the cost OF every undertaking; it makes
necessary larger amount of fixed capital
md thus lessons the wage fund. Ii re-
s,ricts mems enterprise and tax,s their en-
ergies." Mr.. Atkinson's shows at some
length how the wages of working men are
depressed by the duties laid on the raw
material, not only Of the articles We might
wish to export, but also Of the enormous
amounts consumed 10y our own people.
These duties, 10y increasing the cost Of
manufac' ures, diminishss The number of
| 'ales and restricts the market for labor.
Wages under such circumstances are al
ways fu.tusting, and can be good only in
boom years. As regards Tie manufac-
turer, the policy OF laying a heavy tariff
on raw materials, or necessary adiunets Of
domestic manufactures is suicidal. :" he
distractions he says, (which We have
inteip sed to the impor, If materials
which enter in o the processes OF domestic
industry, such as coal. iron, sat, hemp
lutte, chemicals, dyestufs and timber. give
70 ha inf, rtrr
If Great British 50 long as these du les
keep tie prices higher in this country
than there. 1t matters not what the ALSO
Iu'e price may be, whether high or nw. so
long as there is an Artificial difference a.
yainst US We lose the benefit nf our more
effective labor and give this benefit TO
Great Britain, her iabor being more effect
i've and her wages higher than any o'her
competitor on the coutinent Of Europe >"
TO remove altogether the duties on raw
materials and reduce those imposed on
The adiuncts of our manufacturing indus
;ry would raise the rate Of wages hy in
| ;reasing the dem and for ahor Ne should
~ that case increase our legitimate indus
tries as We should then manufacture for
he foreign as WEI as TIA, home market.
II is the in crest of every machine usirg
nation" continues Mr. Atkinson, in which
wages are naturally high. II &c he b u,tit
Of the channess OF its high paid !.bor
by opening the widest market. hy the x
change 81 i goods for pro :uc:- aa le un-
der less advantlgen Is c"nlli ions, and
therefore, at ow rates Of wages This
beneti, can oGy he fully obtained when
industry is untaxed. Duties upon .iaisl ed
goods which are ready for final con.ump.
ton res, upon An entirely different basis.
They may be SO imposed as To- yield Zig
revenue without any material obstruction
TO industry beyond that amount Of rsvs-
nue itself" Of the total tariff revenue OF
100000, 900 last year 500, 900 900 was de
rived from finished manufactures aud lur-
uries, $4,000, 900 from articles partly
manufactured. aud $4,000 900 from raw
materials. The first step If reform is TO
:ut off the last item altogether.-SYa