Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-10
How : Tariff Operates,

Mr.. WATTERsON claims to UNDER
stand thoroughly the tariff question,
and every day fills column or two,
and sometimes more, Of his paper, with
hn lucubrations on that subject, IL "lu-
cubrstions !" they may be called. He
Seems, however, to be more anxious to
discrcdit Mr.. RANDALL as a Democrat
than 10 accrcdit himself as an author
ixed exponent Of the Democratic creed
on the tariff question. He resorts to
facts and figures, which, however, are
turned against him by another Demo-
cratic paper Of Louisville, the Post.
Here is one Of Mr.. WATTERsoN's
latest uttcrances
"The abolition of the taxes on whis-
key and tobacco would reduce the
Treasury receipts by over al00, 100000
annually, not only wiping out the sur
plus. but leaving deficiency in the re-
quisite revenues Of the Government.
:. II is not to be presumed that Mr..
Randall would propose to supply that
deficiency by direct taxation on realty,
etc. The result would, therefore, be
that the present exorbitant import duties
would have to be increased in order to
meet the expenses Of the Government"
In other words, Mr.. WATTERsoN
advances the untenable proposition that
the higher the tariff the greater the
revenue. We need only to cite against |
Mr.. WATTERsoN the authority of Mr.. |
TUCKER, Of this State, who is recog-
nized by his associates of both parties
in the House Of Representatives of Con-
gress rs one of the ablest of the Demo-
Gratis who voted last year with Mr..
MORRISON in favor Of horizontal re-
duction of customs duties, and is there
fore one Of the men TO whom it is to be
presumed Mr.. WATTERsoN will be
willing 10 lister--that is, as willing as
he u to listen to anybody except him
self. In Mr.. fuckers speech of Mon
day last in favor Of doing away with all
internal taxes upon tobacco, fruit-bran-
dies &C., nc said {:
+" But gentlemen say il you repeal
the internal-revenue taxes you will have
to raise the customs duties. In my
judgment nothing is more fallacious.
1.-THE logical framework of a pro-
tectivc tariff is that which makes duties
so high as TO prohibit importation of
foreign goods. But if importation be
prohibited no revenue accrues. Lessen
the duties and protection decreases, as
revenue on increased importations in
rreases. The present tariff on many
articles is so high as to protect the do
nestle article by almost absolute pro-
hibition Of the importation of the for
cign article. This is the case with
hats Of wool. and hundreds of
other articles.
Repeal the internal-revenue sys-
lem and Congress will be compelled to
abandon the prohibitory rates of duties,
to adjust them to the revenue stan
iard; and they will then be high {
enough to raise all the revenue you
need, to give full encouragement to the ;
industries Of the country, and make the
people more prosperous under state
If things more natural and less artif-
'ial-when capital will have fair
,rofits, laborers full wages, and the in !
erests Of the consuming classes will be
by leaving them to untaxed
production, and relieving them from
he heavy burdens nowresting upon
Mr.. WATTERsoN says that to repeal ,
he internal taxes hereinbefore men I
Toned would be to provide for an in I
'rease Of :" the present exorbitant inn |
,ort duties in order to meet the ex- ,
'enses Of the Government" Mr.. I
TUCKER holds, on the contrary, that I
o repeal those taxes would be to pro- I
tide for tariff that viii produce more a
vvenue at the same time that it will a
,ivc full encouragement to the indus i
ries Of the country" f
Mr.. TUCKER has logical mind. He
ess that IS an opponent Of the doctrine c
4 legislative protection to American e
Industries, he surrenders his whole case
vhen he admits that the nat raj effect a
4 increasing the rates Of the customs u
luties Is to produce more revenue. il
he fayors a discriminating