The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-09-07
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TARIFF
LEGISLATION.

The first Congress under the Constitu
ton, at its first session. fixed the policy Of
the country and adopted the plan Of rails
ing the revenues of the United States by a
tariff. There was entire unanimity IN this
plan for raising revenue. and the univer
sal feeling in its favor was made stronger
by the universal knowledge that this meth
Cd of raising the necessary revenue would
incidentally protect home manufacturers
This policy of revenue tariff, with such
protection resulting as was necessary in
cident to any tariff for raising revenue,
continued undisputed until 1917. In that
year Mr. Monroe became President Old
party lines were nearly extinct. Congress
was almost unanimously Democratic, and
the period is known in the history of the
United States as 1.-The era of good feeling.
The era came TO the beginning of an
end at the beginning Of Mr.. Monroe
second term, in 1921 %. when marked
division manifested itself among he Dem
Ocrats. who were the Congress, and Mr..
Barbour, a revenue tariff man, was elect
ed Speaker Of the House by only four ma
iorty over Mr. Taylor. an advocate Of a
new policy of levying duties upon foreign
imports not for revenue, but with view
specifically to protect domestic manufac-
lures The new tariff movement failed at
this session. But in 1S23-24 Mr.. Clay Sc
cured the passage of an act imposing tariff
duties upon several articles of foreign i'm
portation with the direct view of atfording
protection to the manufacture of like ar
ticles in this country. wide and perma-
nent split in the Democratic party result
ed, Mr.. Clay and those who followed him
becoming what were called National Re-
publicans.
In 1928, Mr.. Adams being President
and Mr.. Clay Secretary of State, the new
policy was extended, aud, after much ex
citement IN Congress and in the country,
a tariff law based upon the protective
policy and known as 'the Bill of Abomi-
nations" was passed: The excitement
continued and increased. The Democratic
President, Andrew Jackson, was hostile
to the protective policy, to Mr.. Clay and
L. ~
introduced into Congress, 1928 to
wipe out the protective tariff. His bill
would have passed, but Mr.. Clay's political
prospects would have been ruined by the
abrupt repeal of his policy, which would
have brought disaster to the country; Mr..
Calhoun was in danger as well as Mr..
Clav: both were patriots, however mis-
taken and opposed in policy, and they
combined to avert strife and to beat Old
Hickory Jackson by the passage through
Congress of Mr.. Clay's celebrated Com
promise Tariff of 1888 This was an
abandonment of the protective policy.
The bill provided for a gradual reduction
Of all duties then above the revenue stand
ard: that is to say, so high as to be pro-
hibitory in fact and defeating the object
| One tenth Of half Of all duties for pro
| lection above that standard was to be
taken off annually for ten years, at the
| end of which period the whole Of the other
| half was to be taken off; and thereafter
| all duties were to be levied mainly with a
| view To revenue, anu uOC lOI pIoUcCtlOl.
In 1s42, the year fixed by the compro-
mise for the regulation of duties on the
revenue standard, the ProtectiOnlsts raj
lied and the Whig Congress passed a law
in which protection, and not revenue, was
the object
In 1916 the Democrats returned to
power, the revenue tariff of 1846, known
as "the Walker Tariff, was adopted, anC
under it the country prospered.
In 1861 the Republicans obtained pos
session of the government, war came anc
the tariff known as the ''Morrill Tariff
was passed This was high protective
tariff, that is to say, prohibitory one
and SO the law has remained until now.
The Indiana Democratic candidate fol
Governor challenged the Republican can
| d;Jato for a ioint diScuSSiOn The ReDubli