Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-09

would thus be saved to the people of the
United States. How long would $40 apiece
pay our working men and women for the loss
OF OF tnlrd on every dollar of their wagess
BOW long before they could get their wages
raised enough to buy as much as before2
TAXATION REFORM.
In another communication which accompa-
mes TINS, my trst annual report, / have en-
ueaVored TO present full and complete ex-
posluon OF the existing condition of the Gus
TOMS service, OF the rules and regulations that
nave established to secure Just faithful
ana impartial appraisement of imported mer-
chenulse, together with my reasons for max
llg such rules and regulations, and of the leg
lilatlve measures which are now needed for
improving that portion of the revenues. The
IeYislon ana changes of rates of duty made in
1888 nave already disclosed. in practical exc
cltlon, defects which are commended to the
elrly attention of Congress.
Besides the reforms which are desirable for
TIE enectlve administration of any system OF
taxation levied through imported merchan-
uise, and are indispensable for the admins
tratlon or customs laws, which, like our own,
are chaos rather than system, l venture to
nope mat IN due season 1t viii be the pleasure
REFORMS upon which, as is requisite,
all parties may agree, and that are
or Inherent scope. Like our currency laws,
our tarih laws are legacy of war. fits ex-
lgencies excuse their origin, their defects are
unnecessary after twenty wears Of peace.
they have been retained without sitting and
determination, although enacted without leg
lslative debate, criticism, or examination.
A horizontal reduction of 10 per cent. was
maze In 1877, but repealed in 1875, and reject
ed in 1884. They require at our custom
houses the employment of force sufficient to
examine, appralse and levy duties upon
more than 4,ls3 different articles.
Many rates of duty begun in war have
1een increased since, although the late
Tariff Commission declared them ''iniu-
rious To the interests supposed to be bene-
hted," and SAID that production would be
conducive to the general prosperity" They
have neen retained, although the long era of
falling prices. IN the case of specific duties,
has operated large increase of rates. They
nave been retained at an average ad valorem
rate for the last year of over 46 per cent.
which 10 but 211 per cent. less than the highest
rate Of the war period, and is nearly per
cent. more than the rate before the latest re-
vision. The highest endurable rates of duty.
which were adopted Ill 1924 to Offset inter :
nal taxes upon almost every taxable article,
nave IN most cases been retained now from
fourteen to twenty years after every such in
ternal tax has been removed. They have
been retained while purely revenue duties
upon articles not competing with anything
produced ID the thirty eight States have
been discarded. They have been retained
upon articles used as materials for our own
manufactures tin 1884 adding $4,000, 0G0 to
their cost, which, If exported. compete in
other countries against similar manufactures
from untaXed materials. Some rates have
been retained after running the industries
tney were meant to advantage. Other rates
have been retained after effectng a higher
price for a domestic product at home than it
was sold abroad for. The general high level
Of rates has been retained on the theory of
countervalfng lower wages abroad, when, In
fact, the higher wages of American labor are
at once the secret and the security of our ca
paclty to distance all competition from
"pauper labor" in any market. All
changes have left unchanged, or changed
for the worse, by new schemes
of classification and otherwise, a complicated,
cumbrous, intricate group of laws which are
not capable of being administered with i'm
partla1ty to all our merchants. AS nothing
IN the ordinary course of business is i'm
ported unless the price here of the domestic,
as well as of the imported, article is higher by
the amount of the duty and the cost of sea
transit than the price abroad, the preference
OF the taxpayer for duties upon
articles not produced in the Uni
ted States is justified by the
TACT that such duties cost him no more than
the treasury of his country gets. AS for
duced in the United States, the first to be
safely discarded are those upon materials
used by our own manufacturers which now
subject them to hopeless competition at
home and abroad, with the manufacturing
nations, none Of which taxes raw materials
1t is not to be doubted that in any reform
which shall finally receive the approval of the
two Houses of Congress they Will maturely
consider and favorably regard the interests
which can only gradually and carefully be
adjusted, without lOsa, to changes in the leg
lslatlYe conditions for their advancing pros
perity.