The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-16

L
which TO ride triumphant into Office.
The second act passed by Congress wal
the tariff act OF 4th of July 1889. The
preamble OF which. act is rs follows
Section /. Whereas IL is necessary FOL
the support OF government, for the dis
charge OF the debts OF the United States
and the encouragement and protection Of
manufacturers, that duties be laid on
goods, wares and merchandise imported.
[Sce u, $. Statutes, vol. j., p. "a.
This net upon its face was not ian act
for revenue only" but expressed pur'
| pose to protect also. But il il had said il
was levied for revenue odly," the Incl.
dental protection advocated by Polk Dem
ocrats and Clay Wings in 1874 would have
| followed as an unavoidable consequence.
| See Polk y inaugural message, Statesman 4
Manual, pps l4i3--li63.
This act levied duties specific and nd
yalorcm, ranging from TO 10 per cent.
II appears that some articles were
taxed three times more than others,
and those taxed highest gave to the home
manufacturer three times more protection
than those taxed per cent. To illustrate
the effect of tariff taxation: II on the 4th
OF July, 1889, yard OF Irish linen could be
imported and sold In our market for .
cents, and specific duty OF 10 cents pei
| yard bo levied on IL by the act then passed,
tho price Of imperfect linen thereafter in
| the American market would DO % cents
per yard, and the home manufacturer OF
like goods would sell his ut 20 cents per
yard, and would pay the United States nc
revenue whatever.
II also appears that our infant manufac.
lures in 1889 required very little protec.
ton. The mighty giants Of these later
days, near n century old, with millions oi
trained and dependent laborers, with bill
lions Of capital TO monopolizc and control
! the home market, are now demanding nom
ten TO twenty times more protection than
was given to little infants in the cradle by
the liberty-loving men Of 1883. Twelve
amendments were adopted by Congress, OF
small importance in regard TO collections
of duties, prior 10 the LIST OF July, 1872.
An act was then passed to double all duties
on imports, TO meet the expenses Of the
war with England, which act was limited
In duration until one year after peace.
After the expiration OF this law, Con-
grcss passed several tariff laws gradually
increasing duties until 1888, when high
and very unjust tariff law was enacted,
which law, In the political discussions OF
the day, was called the Black Tariff. See
U. $. Statutes, Vol. w., p. 27Ol
In 1882 Congress passed an act discrimi-
mating and protective in high degree,
which resulted in threats OF notification
by South Carolina. SEQ U. S. s., Vol.
", p. 5Si.l
In 1883 an act was passed known as Mr..
Claws compromise bill, which provided
for gradual reduction on all imports 10 a
horizontal duty of 20 per cent. on the
3Oth Of June, 1912. ~. 5. s., Vol. w.,
p. go
A horizontal duty of 20 per cent. on all
imports was u failure. IL was prohibitory
on some articles, and practical free trade
on others II did not furnish revenue 10
meet the current expenses OF the govern
mcnt. President Tyler asked for loan OF
81, 900, 900 TO pay current expenses, which
Congress granted. Sec U. $. s., Vol. ",
Pr. i3s-l73.l
In 1912 Congress repealed the Clay com.
promise, and passed a law which imposed
n very heavy scale OF duties, specific, nd
yalOrem and compound. II levied duties
In accordance with tho wishes and policy
Of monopolists. Tho Wings in 1874 de-
nounccd President Tyler as n renegade,
aud had but little TO say in defense Of tho
tariff act of 1912. SEQ u. s. S., Vol. ",
p. biS.
IL was failure rs a revenue law. Presi-
dent Polk. In his annual message, says
The net ~ 1892, by the excessive rates
| 81 duty which u imposed on many articles
either totally excluded them from importa
ton or greatly reduced tho amount i'm.
ported, and thus diminished instead Of
producing revenue. by IL the taxes were
levied not for the legitimate purpose OF
raising revenue, but 20 afford advantages
20 favored classes at the cxpenes Of largo
majority Of their w-citiZcns. States.
mans Manual, p 1869.
Ia 1910. ~ before stated, the hrst Con.
grcss after Mr. Folks Inauguration passed
q Democratic tariff rejecting the policies OF
former acts, lcyying al valorcm duties
only, ranging from TO 100 per cent. u.
y s., Vol. IN, y. ~
Prior 90 March, 1857, Congress had
passed thirty-onc acts relative TO tariff tax.
alton, NJ which timo the thirty.sccond bill
became a law, and which repealed the
tariff oi 1916, and instead oi duties from
: to 100 per cent, reduced the duties on
oil imports 90 q rate Of from I 10 30 per
cent. al 1,lopm, and also enlarged very
much tie free list [Scc NJ Clusky's 70.
litical Encyclopedia, y. Oh, for the vote
ON the bill. In the House yeas l22, nays
-, Senate yeas %, nays 8. This illus.
tratcs the difference between the working
tariff rcionncn Of 1867 aud the talking
| tariff tctormcr 1T the last fifteen years
/ The senators from Tennessee llcl
and Andrew Johnson, aud Representatives
/ Emerson Ethcridp, George w. Jones
John ". Savage, Samuel A. Smith, and
John V. Wright and Felix X. HOlliconcr
all voted for the tariff OF 1857. which fixed
the lowest duties and largest free list since
1916. By this act taxation was made
merely nominal, compared with formci
and subsequent cnactmcnts. II did mol
| produce revenue sufficient 90 pay thu
ordinary expenses ot tho government
/ aud President buchanan, like TYLER, called
upon Congress for loan Of go, 10000.
When orators tell tho people that IN,
Republican party found the government
without money and without credit, and
have filed the treasury TO OVERLOOKING and
have created q boundlcss credit, il ma,
! with truth I've replied that they found IN,
people without burdens, with mcrc nomi
nal taxation, all % which was suddcnl,
changed, and In lieu thereof tho most nm
Just, unequal and oppressive taxation eve
borne 10y n free people has been lowed an,
collected without mitigation or mercy ~
the last TWENTY-FIVE years. This system I
tho mother monopoly. lthas made SOM
men rich and made paupcn Of millions
IL friends can sing and dance while com
mon men must toll and mourn.
"TAmr LEGISLATION AND SPEECHES size
uiE wan"