The herald., 1896-03-05
A TARIFF PLAN


the speech delivered at tho Washington's IS
birthday dinner of the Minnesota Demo-
cratic association at St. Paul by Assistant
Secretary Hamlin is attracting much at
tention here. After condo Mining the pro-
tective policy as one which favors limited
number OF special industries at the ex-
pense of the whole people, and fevors even
these few unevenly, Mr.. Hamin said:
The duty of the Democracy in this crisis
is plain. We should demand that hereafter
the rate of taxation imposed by customs
duties shall be absolutely uniform-the
same rate for all importations. Such a
rate of duty could not be specific; if it
were, the same duty would exclude many
importations, because it would be so
high, and at the same time would practi-
cally yield no revenue, because it would,
as regards other importations, be in effect
so low. 1t would operate disastrously upon
all business interests dependent wholly or
partially upon foreign importations. The
rate of duty should be uniform al va
lorem rate upon all articles imported into
the United States. Such rate would be
simple and easy to collect. The scramble
and contention of favored interests would
cease forever. The courts would be re-
lieveu of the burden of litigation under
which they are staggering, and the prob
lem of taxation would become SO simple
that all could understand it.
The following figures show that one ad-
valorem rate upon all imports
free of duty, on grounds of public policy.
articles exempt under the present law
and some others-would yield ample rev.
enue, with the other existing sources of
taxation, to support the government OF the
United States.
t. &c II
portations and under fair conditions of
trade, the total value of general imports
amounted to $7S9,31O,400. Deducting
therefrom the value of hides, raw silk,
coal, iron ore. raw wool. India rubber and
similar goods. to be left distributed on the
free list. amounting in all to $l93,741,-
500. we should have LETT the sum OF
$595, ,56S,9O9. Thirty-fve per cent of
this valuation amounts to $20S 449,l1S.
The highest revenue derived from GUS
toms in any one year since 1868 WIS in
the year 1S90-namely, $226. .540,037.
This revenue was unuaturally large, due
to the anticipated increase of duties under
least $3.50, O,OOO,O 900 in customs revenue. A
duty of 81 r7r cent enforced as above
stated would yield over $1S.OO0,OOO more
than this 81 IN. In a normal year duty
of 50 per cent would probably be amply
sufficient.
valorem, would incidentally give much So
called "protection" to domestic industries
is not to be denied. In fact, so great are
the expenses of the government today that
no sufficient amount could be realized from
customs duties without giving domestic
manufactures much more protection than
any possible difference in the cost of labor
between this and foreign countries. Such
a rate of duty would "protect' amply both
the raw material and the finished product,
the ad valorem rate on the finished product
being greater in proportion as the value of
the product exceeds the value of the raw
material.
Such an ad-valorem rate of duty, what
ever it's amount, could be easily fixed and
as easily adjusted to The needs of the gov
eminent. Applicants for special favors
could then only increase the burdens of
taxation as a means of protecting" their
own products by increasing the rate of
taxation on all imported products. The
problem of taxation would be clearly un-
derstood by the people, the lobby would
disappear, and discussions in the future as
to rates of duty would be on a higher
plane.
1t might be said that the danger of under
valuation would greatly increase under
ouch a method: but the existing laws,
properly amended, and the invaluable CO.
operation of the consular service abroad
will quickly place US in position SO that
the duty can be honestly and impartially
secured on the true valuation of imported
merchandise.
Tne fact that Mr. Hamlin is not only an
assistant secretary OF the treasury. but the
particular assistant secretary to whom is
committed jurisdiction of customs ques-
tons, and that he enjoys the closest con-
fidence of Secretary Carlisle, gives this
utterance especial significance, and prac-
iically stamps it as the utterance of the
administration itself.-Cor. n. Y. Post.