The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-16
REVISION or THE TARIFF.
why Raw Materials should Come In Free q
Year Before Now Rates Are FIXED.

Ne6t WtIJfG NV A3tCh NEu ~
re TBE EDITOR or Tar sUN-Sir; In an
editorial In THEsUH OF July 81 Judicious COM
ment was made upon the proposal Of the Won.
Ellis n. Roberts to reduce the duty on all
imports and the rates on all internal revenue
collections uniformly 10 per cent. In order TO
prevent the further accumulation OF surplus
revenue.
But the accumulation Of a surplus revenue
10 only one Of the evils Of the present tarth
and internal revenue system. and not the
greatest. and IL 10 not certain and not prob
able that tho proposed horizontal reduction
would lessen the Government receipts. II
the schedules were framed for revenue chiefly
they would be at such Q point In each case
that to raise them would increase the revenue,
and to lower them would lower the revenue.
but they were not. The duties we're laid to
exclude imports altogether. and 10 many
cases they do 10. and q 10 per cent. lower duty
would also do IL. for rates are unnecessarily
high for the purpose OF exclusion.
The two great evils Of the tarin are: First,
IL hampers manufacturing for export In the
Atlantic seabosrd States By taking nearly all
raw materials and most foods Nearly all
raw materials. except cotton. raw rubber n
raw silk. arc higher In the seaboard States
than west Of the ALLEGHENY Mountains. IL IL
clear that manufacturing for export can best
DO done In the seaboard States. partly from
imported raw materials. largely from our
own natural resources. The cost OF labor In
this country does not prevent extensive ex-
ports Of manufactured goods. for American
labor reckoned In the product. computed with
reference to the larger output from . given
expenditure In wages. In cheaper In the prod
not In America than anywhere else in the
world. but nothing prevents the extensive
and manifold Increase OF manufactured ex-
ports but the artificially high price Of raw
materials In the seaboard States: for while
We do export manufactured goods extern
Mveiy. the exports are yet barely more than
, per cent. Of the total Of SIS. 000.0 0e. 900 Of ths
goods which We manufacture In q year. So
the 6rst great tariff reform must 20 to the
root Of the matter and put all raw materials
on the free list . year In advance Of the rsduc-
ton on manufactured goods. which will fol-
Law later from the working up Of these lower
priced raw materials. ! do not lose sight Of
the rebate system on raw materials entering
into goods manufactured for export. but It is
cumbersome. annoying and hampering, and
In the end the Government retains 10 per
cent. Of such duties.
Tho second great evil Of the tariff system
10 the higher price OF manufactured goods
commonly exacted from the American con.
sumer. over and above the price at which for
eign consumers obtain the same goods from
the American manufacturer: and In the scores
OF cases whers the duties enhance these goods
to the consumer from so to 100 per cent. the
trivial reduction Of the duty by Is per cent.
would be futile and nugatory. Thee duty on al
cohoi and whiskey is double what the internal
revenue tar 10 and almost totally excludes
the foreign manufactures. Reduce the inter-
nal tax 10 per cent. and the Government would
lose Is per cent. Of the income from this
source. while IL there 10 a whiskey trust, and
some believe there Ii. the prios would be
artincisily kept up with increased profits to
the whisksy trust.
The true way would be to shape the reform
to the facts. Our factories are making to-
day the goods to be consumed a year from
to-day. IL is logical and conservative to
begin tariff reform by q joint resolution for
the free Importation OF all raw materials,
naming them. for one year. by the temporary
suspension OF the duties upon them, that the
wheels OF industry may not be stopped. The
reduction on manufactured goods would
form part of q later perfected tariff measure
reenacting the Joint resolution for free raw
materials and would 60 into Affect in time
to apply to goods manufactured under the
free raw material plan.
Change - little a. possible and correct as
much.- the lofty preoept Of Lander. would
receive its best illustration in the safe. orderly
and logical revision Of the tariff In the same
order that the raw materials proceed from
their origin I'm tho earth to the backs and
bodies Of the consumers.
JOHN 8. SEYxoun.
NEW YoRx. August IS.