Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-03-18
FALSE PROPHETS.
The Facts DO Not Sustain Them in Their
Predictions of "Dire Disaster" From
Tariff Reform.

The Facts DO Not Sustain Them in Their
Predictions of "Dire Disaster" From
Tariff Reform.
As might have been expected, any
anticipated reconstruction of the tariff
having in view any reduction of the
taxes on imports has been productive of
prophecies of consequent national dis
aster. These have ever been the ac-
compartment of every extension of ra-
tional liberty, and in no instance have
such prophecies been fulfilled. 1t was
so when Sir Robert Peel instituted the
first measures of tariff reform and abol-
ished the 'corn laws" and British COM
merce thenceforth increased by leaps
and bounds, imports rising from s9o6,-
OOO, 900 in 1S41 to So, ZOO, 100000 in 1890.
1t was so when Great Britain in 1s49
repealed her Anticipated navigation
laws and Mr.. Disraeli arose in his place
in the house of commons and declared
that such action endangered the Brit
ish) empire of the seas;" and to-day
twelfths of the worlds ocean shipping
and seventy per cent of the worlds
steam tonnage. 1t was so in 1854 when
the New York Tribune predicted that
democratic victory would mean the
failure of thousands of establishments,
loss of work, and great suffering to
millions of families" and when such
was achieved nothing of the kind hap
pened.
That the country may experience
something of disturbance consequent
on the practical work Of tariff reform
| is not improbable 1t should not, how
ever, escape attention that such dis
turbances, if they occur, are rightfully
chargeable to the ingrained vices of
past economic and financial profiigacy
and not TO the struggle for economic
and financial reform All reformation
is a painful process, but let the pain be
credited to the old vices and not to the
new virtues There is much, further
more, to indicate that if the work of
tariff reform IS intelligently conducted
any possible resulting disturbances will
be reduced to very small minimum.
If every custom house in the land was
closed and perfect free trade estab-
lished, not more than five dollars
worth in every hundred of our agri-
cultural products could be imported;
and it is also probable that under a
tariff for revenue only any conse-
quent displacement Of labor from old
occupations would be more than com
pensated for by the opening of new in
dustries contingent on free crude mate
rails and freedom Of exchange.
The experience Of the country under
the low tariff policy that prevailed
from lS47 to 1860 is exceedingly in
structive on this point and, very curl
ously, has hitherto attracted compare.
lively little attention. The so-callcd
"Walker tariff reduced the average
rate of duties on dutiable imports tc
a51t per cent, and this average was
further reduced in 1857 to 20 per cent.
The result was that the aggregate Of
our foreign ommerce-exports and inn
ports---increased 81 per cent the very
first year, and Notwithstanding the dis
turbing infivence Of two wars--the
Mexican and Crimean continued to in
crease, until in 1850 the increase over
ls4o was Ia excess Of 200 per cent, m
increase far greater than any CORE
spouding iAescass In national wealth