New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-22
THE STPPLUS AID THE TARIFF


The Commercial Advertiser mistakes, in say
ing Of TIE TRIBUNE Its position is that
protection is right in itself, and that therefore
no protective duty once imposed must ever
be removed or lowered" The inference is
not warranted by earnest opposition TO re-
vision of the tariff by its enemies The Com
mercidl Advertiser asks:
What then will THE TRIBUNE urge policy respecting the
surpus Apparently must choose between three courses
1t may removal of the now imposed upon
whskey and may urge more lavish and
corrupng expenditures than are now IN favor or hnay
may insist upon reducing revenue romimports ny RAISING
the scale and making the tarf in large measure
prohibitve.
/. It is an entire mistake to say that The
TRIBUNE holds that call that has been done
in the way Of levying protective duties should
Ire main ained Some duties intended for
protection do not protect, and might properly
be abolished Some others have accomplished
their object, and are no longer needed, and
can properly be reduced or removed. part
of the surplus, perhaps $-O,OOO,OOO, can in
this way lie got rid of without lcSscnlng the
protection of indus ~. AT a proper time, When
revision of the tariff can be directed by friends
and not by foes Of American industry The
TRIBUNE will he ready to point cut the items
in which it considers that duties can be reduced
or removed without harm.
2. 1t docs not follow that the remaining sur
plus, $SOOOO,O0O more or less, must be met
by either Of the three named methods scpa-
rately. Part Of the surplus might be removed
by wise investment of public money in ways
which would insure a large return ; part might
be removed by raising duties which are now
inadequate for their purpose and part might
bo removed 10y lowering or repeating taxes
and duties which are for revenue purposes
only.
3. Certainly The Commercial AdrertiSer
does not mean to imply that The TRIBUNE
would "urge more lavish, and wascful and
corupting expenditures than are now in IA
vor." On the contrary, instead Of snch OK
pendtures, who arc now authorized and ought
to he stopped, The TRIBUNE would urge
others which are not lavish, wasteful or cor
rpting. 1t holds that every penny of the sur
plus for more than one year, would be needed
To put the country in the state Of defence which
Mr. Tiiden so earnestly advocated. 1t believes
that large sums may bc wisely expended, with
out waste or corruption, in promoting the cdu-
cation Of the people. IL believes that large
sums, expended without waste or corruption
in really ma iOnal improvements would bring
enormous returns to the people. 1t believes
that the commerce Of the country could he
e, catly aided by considerable expenditures for
the TRANSPORTATION of foreign mails 10y Amcrl-
can steamship lines.
A. TIE TRIBUNE does not advise raising
the scale of dntcs )" generally, or making
the tariff in a large measure prOhibitiyc Of
imports 1t does hold that the duty on wool,
fixed 10y Democrats with the aid of few Re-
publican votes, under which the imports have
mounted TO lZ9,OOO,OOO pounds during the
last fiscal year. on which duties of about
S6,s4O,OOO were paid, should lie changed so
as TO prevent The fraudulent importation oil
washed DonSkoi WOOL for example, as If il
were wool unwashed, and 50 Us TO exclude a
great part OF the wool which cOmpetes di-
rectly with the product Of American farms
II this should cut of great part or the. whole
Of the $6.SOO,OOO received last wear. so much
the better The duty on tin plates is ride
ulously inadequate in proportion to duties on
other forms Of iron and steel, and SO is the duty
ON wire rods Of The one we imported last wear
572 100000 pounds, and Of the other
3O3, 100000 pounds, and The duties paid were
$7.344 ITO. If these duties should lie adj
vanced so as TO encourage the production of
S75,OOO,OOO pounds Of iron and steel by
American labor, it would Lc no loss TO the
country If the revenue should he reduced
$7,OOO,OOO. A very few such reforms Of
glazing inconsistencies in the present tariff
would make it far more beneficial 10 American
industry, and at the same time would cut or
revenue of $2O,oOO.OOO or more.
8. The TRIBUNE docs not believe that
taxes on tobacco and liquors ought to he re-