The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-15

Two minor tariff acts were passed later on,
IN March, 1871, and another the following yea
in March, 1892, but no further general revision
was attempted until after the submission of
report to Congress by Mr.. Jefferson, Secretary
OF State. in December, 1793 upon the natur,
and extent Of privileges and restrictions O
commercial intercourse Of the United State,
with foreign nations, and the measures which
he thought proper to be adopted for the i'm
provement of commerce and navigation. In
this report Mr.. Jefferson proposed q system oil
retaliatory duties, coupled with reciprocity
arrangements with those nations which favored
US in their commercial laws. While he ad-
mitted that in theory free and unrestricted
trade with the world was an ideal commercial
condition, yet in practice it was the duty oil
| this Government to favor those nations which
favored US. He proposed system of reci-
procity practically the same in effect as that
In more recent years we saw embodied in the
Mckinley bill at the suggestion of Mr.. Blaine.
On Jan. 8, 1894. Mr.. Madison introduced in
the House series of resolutions designed to
carry out Jeferson's recommendations He
proposed to increase duties on tonnage of ves-
with the United States, and manufactures of
leather, metals, wool, cotton. fax, hemp and
silk. and also to reduce tonnage duties on YES
sells of nations having such treaties. He pro.
posed also an increase Of duties on importa-
tons from the West Indies in foreign vessels
from ports from which American vessels were
excluded. Mr. Smith, of South Carolina. led
the debate in opposition to the bill, and at
tackled vigorously the recommendations OF Mr.
Jefferson. Mr.. Madison was the leader on the
floor of the House in favor of his measure, tax
ing the ground that to allow trade to regulate
itself, experience had shown was simply to
allow other nations to regulate it for u.s.
Nothing came Of the movement, however, but
discussion. and, as we have seen happen to
many modern tariff bills Congress finally adj
journed, having failed to come to decision.
This closed general tariff discussion until
the act Of 1876 with the exception of several
minor measures which in 1894, 1900, 1904
and 1907 modified our tariff laws by increas.
ing or repeating duties upon . few specified
articles
None of these tariff acts had fulfilled expecta-
tions with reference TO protection. nor indeed
the disturbances on continental Europe sue
ceeding the French Revolution and the Napo-
leonic wars, tho United States had enjoyed
great stimulation in trade arising from the
blockade, and manufactures had
lanquished, while we had produced food and
raw material for Great Britain.
The troubles of Jeferson's and Madison's Ad.
ministration in 1908 and 1909, resulting in the
embargo and non-intercourse acts terminated
in the war of 1912 with Great Britain, to support
which Congress provided simply that duties
should be doubled fora period of two years.
That war was an object lesson, for our people
awoke to the fact that having no manufactures
We were practically helpless. We could not make
blankets or clothing for the troops, arms for our
men, nor even gunpowder. The incipient man.
lfactures Of iron. lead. and other metals had !
ALLEN away to nothing.
The necessities Of war, however, stimulated |
and especially those of cotton, which
It the close Of the struggle we're employing |
100000 people and making $4,000 COO worth
# goods in New England. This in turn en-.
outraged the cultivation of cotton In the South,
md raised the price to the planters, 80 that when
he tariff bill of 1916 was brought forward in
Congress we find South Carolina ardent for
In December, 1876 Mr.. A. ]. Dallas. Secre.
airy OF the Treasury. sent to Congress a re-
ort on the state of finances, in which he pro-
osed that the various acts by which duties had
cen doubled for a limited period to carry on the
'ar, be perpeeu.sed. Mr.. Dallas's schedule was
sngtby and provided for long free list; for ad
alorem duties ranging from n to IS per
ent., and an extensive specific list He also
commended an additional duty of 12l DER
cnt. on all goods imported, unless excepted by
ct OF Congress, from nations in treaty with MS.
10 also proposed system of tonnage duties.
'arehouse money, drawbacks, and bounties, in
EDITION to specific and ad valorem duties.
The country was now in a state of depres-
on, due to the reaction which followed the
eace in Europe, and Congress was loaded with
etiti0ns urging protective tariff Those |
ON the cotton manufacturers attracted the ;
ost notice. John c. Calhoun and Henry Clay /
scame ardent advocates of protection while .
, the other hand Webster and most of the I
ew England members, with John Randolph. ,
Virginia, vigorously opposed it.
no bcuICCratS came TO the front advocating | =
e doctrines of Hamilton. The bill was finally :
used by vote of SO to 81 in the House and Z
J to In the Senate. 1t was q sort of compro. I
ise measure between protection and free q
ade, and was failure. The distress and en- (
'rrassment in business continued. The farm a
$, who had been vigorously opposing pro. G
ctive tariff, began to clamor at the doors of (
'ngress for protection; they demanded any f
ing that should promise something different
ON present conditions. .
In his first Inaugural, in 1917, President b
Onroe urged with great vigor that this couu. a
:, possessing raw materials, ought not to de- r
nd in the degree it had done on supplies from r
her countries. This dependence, he pointed I,
t. in the event OF sudden aud unexpected war. A
uld not fail to plunge the country into the ii
ost serious difficulties. and it was important I,
at capital and labor should find employment n
domestic manufactures, instead of exhaustiup n
r resources by purchasing everything in for.
IN markets. 4
He expressed great confidence that it would a
an advantage to agricultural and eyery r.
Ter branch OF industry to provide home ~
'rket for our raw materials, and protect our G,
yes against the uncertainties Of foreign and vi
netimes hostile market. Thus the country c.
uggied along until finally by the tariff of D.
"A system of duties was adopted for the v.
1t time which proved to be in q measure pro. in
tive, al we'll as possessinu n ravapua r.;,;u | -