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

Gus Congresses.
reference to the childhood OF the Natio
under the Constitution suggests some solem
comparisons. When the First Congress MI
in New York City, April 6, 1889, the countr
was in the midst of a commercial and indu
trial depression which east gloom over til
people of all classes and conditions. So poll
nant was the suffering that Congress found i
self loaded with petitions for the amelioratio
of prevailing Distress and for the relief {
trade paralyzed by foreign competition. It
curious circumstance that, although at tina
time nine-tenths of tho people were engage
in agricultural pursuits, petitions by the scor
poured in upon the devoted heads OF the Faith
ers, calling for protection and encourage
ment for domestic industry The Annals 0
the day are filed with examples which W
have not space to quote here.
! 10 be brief, we may remark that the yer.
first revenue bill passed by the First Congress
at lts hrst session was general tariff bill
whose preamble declared it to be an act {,
raise revenue necessary for the support Of tn,
United States and the encouragement and pro
lection Of manu- factures." The bill was intro
duced by James Madison in the House on the
9th of April, only two days after the session
began The measure was hotly debated, Mas
sachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Della
ware, and Maryland standing in the main for
high duties proposed on manufactures, al
though New England strenuously fought for
the lowest possible duty on moasses which
was her raw material in the manu- facture OF
rum. The Southern States as rule opposed
high duties, having no hope, under the slave
system, OF engaging In manufactures On May
l6 the various resolutions were finally formu.
lated into a bill providing for a schedule of
rates, and it was sent to the Senate May 10,
where it was again warmly debated. Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, carrying his oppo-
sition to the measure 80 far as to threaten
the dissolution of the Union. He asserted
that, IS sure 90 there is . God in the frma-
ment," his State would live free or die glori-
ous" YssY
After bitter struggle In the Conference
Committee between the two Houses. the bill
was finally sent to the President, and Wash
inRton signed it July 4, 1889. Although the
debate had been long ard bitter. as is shown in
the Annals of Congress, the measure itself oc-
cupied only about three pages. and the duties
were very low. The highest nd valorem duty
was only ID per cent and most Of them but s
per cent. Among the specific duties there may
be mentioned to 10 cents gallon on spirits;
10 to IS cents on wine; s cents on beer, ale
and porter; 81 cents gallon on molasses. and
to cents pound on sugar. which was not so
low in comparison, although in those days
there was no Trust to interfere. There was so
cents q pair on boots and 10 cents pack on
playing cards. Strange TO say such important
items as pig and plste tin, brass. iron. brass
wire, copper plate WOOL cotton. dyeing woods
dyeing drugs hides, furs and skins were on the
free list. 1t shows how truly infantile our
were in those days.
So far as protection went however, the enor.
nous freight rates of the time contributed to
this end.
1t is curious circumstance that in the do.
bate of this measure every possible point that
has since been raised, pro and con. in connec-
ton with tariff legislation was then discussed,
with the exception of one: no one suggested
that Congress did not have the power to levy
iuty for protection. 1t Is also remarkable that
IN the whole history Of tariff legislation In this
country this was the only tariff bill ever passed
which openly declared in its preamble that it
was for the protection Of American industry.
Il will be remembered that even the much.
lbused Mckinley bill styled itself "An Act to
Reduce Revenue; but 1t must be recalled
hat the public mind had been much impressed
" ponderous thunderings from the White |
House about the evils of Surplus revenue" |
md this preamble was tub to the whale.
In September 1850, Alexander Hamilton was |
appointed Secretary of the Treasury, and set,
'tates. He created the Treasury practically as
t stands to-day. In January, 1890. he made
lis first report to Congress, proposing revenue
MEASURE to meet the pressing necessities for the
unding Of the State debts assumed by the Ma.
ional Government. and to pay the current ex-
enses Of public affairs. Tho paper which he
ent to Congress is literary monument in our
olitical economy. and he showed why taxes
hould be laid upon consumption, rather than
pom property, both for the reason that in the
ormer case taxes would be paid insensibly and
asily, and because we would thus leave our
isible property without mortgage, and thus
the respect OF foreign nations by the
ossession of unemcumbered resources, He
therefore, recommended increased duties.
iainly on Injuries imported into this country.
nd further internal revenue tax on distilled
pirits.
The revenues which Hamilton sought to
iise by his tariff bill would seem incousider.
Bile from our modern standpoint All he want
was about 81, $50, 900, only 100000 of which
as needed to pay the current annual expenses
the Government. The rest was to 20 for in
crest on the consolidated debt of the States
'sumed by the National Government, amount
lg to $25,000,000. As before. the proposed
riff met with vigorous opposition from the
outh and West, aud after debate, which
sted several weeks, Congress adjourned in
ugust without action on the measure.
The third session of the First Congress met in .
ecember 1880, when ths subject of providing
'venuc was again brought forward, and in |
anuary. 1871, bill conforming to Harnilton's {
passed the House, and on the |
9Th of February, the difference between the q
so Houses having been adjusted was finally &
iopted by tho Senate. In the course of the 8
sated debate OH the measure it had been urged |
,ainst the system suggested by Hamilton that {
would pramote smuggling; that it was un- t
iendly to the interests of tho people; that it =
as ruinous aud mschievous system of tax.
ion, and that q poll tax, q tax on salaries. o
'nsions and lawyers, would be better. The /
lends of the measure had urged that tn infer | &