Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-02-09

Of unnecessary taxation. ought 10 be
at once revised and amended
"The considerations which have
been prsssated touching our tariff
laws are i1sendsd onIy % enforce an
earnest rseomnenda&ion that the sur
plus revssnes Of tie G5rernnent Be
prevented By fhe reducti1n Of oar Gus
toms duties.
But the reduction of taxation de-
manded, should be 70 measured as not
to neeeszitate or justify either the loss
of employment by the wOrkingman,
nor the lessening Of his wages; and
the profits stiD renaining to the man
ufacturer.
"It il not proposed 20 entirely re-
lieye the country Of taxation. 1t
must be extensively continued as the
source Of the Governments income.
at may be called protection or by
auy other name, but relief from the
hardships and dangers Of our pres
ent tariff laws should be devised
with especial precaution aganut i'm
periling the existence Of our manufac-
turing interests. But this existence
should not mean q condition which,
without regard to the public welfare
or q National EFFICIENCY, must always
insure the realization Of immense pro-
fits instead Of moderately profitable
returns"
Il viii be seen that his only rene
dy is in the reduction Of tariff duties.
No intimation 10 gwen as to what
special reduction should be made, and
It is must Be conceded that any &C.
tion is handicapped BY the protection
clauses. Nothing must be done that
will imperil the existence Of our man
ufactusing interests, or the employ
ment Of the workingman, or that will
lessen the reasonable profits Of the
one or the present wages Of the other.
These are FAR from being expressions
in favor Of free trade; on the contra
~, the most biased protectionist could
scarcely desire more, for even he
would not demand that his system
should be allowed to ENSURE the re-
alization Of immense profits, instead
of moderately profitable returns" 1t
is only upon this class Of imports, the
President desires the reduction secur-
ed. He will at once be met with the
denial that any such manufactures ex-
ist, and it would be difficult for him
to specify them; certainly not to the
extent that the lessening Of the duty
would produce anything like the re-
duction required. The very fact of
the importation Of the assailed article
in large amounts and the collection of
large duties thereon, would seem to
ragative the theory of inordinate or
unreasonable profits in the manufac-
ture here. Doubtless there are inc.
qualities in our tariff laws, which
should be adjusted, and where any
article is found to be unduly protect
cd in the manner described, the pro-
per remedy should be applied without
delay, whether it puts more or less
money into the Treasury. This is not
the matter under consideration and
to which the President refers. WHAT
we wish to learn is in what manner
the tariff can be reduce in accordance
with his views, so that our constantly
increasing surplus, may be either
speedily or eventually disposed of.
The net surplus for the past year
was about $l04, 100000 and that of
the present year is estimated at $ll3,-
5000 The total customs duties
collected for 1887 (year ending June
30th), was $2l2,032.424 bureau of
Statistics). The reduction to dispose
of the surplus must, therefore, be at
least one-half Of this sum.
The total duties collected on man
ufactured articles Ito which the Presi-
dent especially refers) was SCI, $685.
366, and adding that on crude or raw
materials and partially manufactured
articles. the total is only 800, 900 900.
so that it would require all these to
be placed in the free list to produce
the desired sum. Sugar realized $751;
O00, 900, and all other articles, mainly
Injuries, $54, 100000.
He says nothing concerning sugar,
and, Judging from experience it would
prove Of doubtful expedisncy to reduce
that duty. Notwithstanding the i'm
mense importation and large revenue
collected, the price of sugar has ruled
very low, and it is by no means GER
tain that the reduction of duty would
lessen the cost 10 the consumer. No
one favors any reduction on luxuries.
Now, If added to this showing, it
should finally appear that the Presi.
dent is mistaken as to the great profits
realized in manufacturing under our
tariff, and that the trusts to which
he refers. instead Of being for the pur-
pose of maintaining prices at or slight
ly under the importing figures, are
mainly combinations for protection
against disastrous competition and
financial destruction,-then, any re-
duction Of the tariff. short of entire
sboiition,-from increasedimportation
caused BY the displacement of the
home supply. would. in all probabili.
ty, lead 70 increased customs receipts,
and thereby an increased instead Of
diminished surplus.
1t has always been the policy of
this Government to obtain its current
revenues from tariff duties, and at
times, without regard to the protec-
hon Of home industries.-a tariff for
revenue only, being q form of free
trade. The imposition of an internal