Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30


and writer's have secured their funda-
mental arguments. Although each Of these
speakers and writer's has striven to add
some new thought to the subject, or to
restate an old one In more telling way,
those students who consider it with the
impartial calm of the historian, rather
than the battle-fush bias Of the politi-
clan. regard the Hamilton report as con-
veying every detail of the fundamentals
of the doctrine of protection.
How this report came to be written
is an interesting story. Congress was
not satisfied with the condition Of manu-
features in the nation, and in January,
1890, passed a resolution ealing upon the
secretary of the treasury for a detailed
statement concerning them, together with
suggestions for their stimulation. With
q thoroughness never surpassed, and sell
dom equalled, Hamilton proceeded to col
lect all available data. He spent nearly
two years in the preparation of the state
ment. When he submitted 1t to congress
he gave to the world the Bible of protec-
ton. Friend and foe of that doctrine alike
admit that Hamilton stated the case In
the most favorable light possible.
The plan of his report is very simple.
First he states the case against pro-
one could. Then he turns the guns of
his argument upon the structure thus
reared, and RACES 1t to the complete salts
faction Of all protectionists. Then he pro-
ceeds to rear his own edifce of protec-
ton in its stead, and he uses every avail
able piece of fact-timber to the best ad-
vantage. He gets right down to the very
fundamentals. And with remarkable fl
deity the protectionists ever since have
stuck to the Bible he gave them OF
course, they have some heretics who re-
fuse to accept his statement that tariff
duty is one Of the ingredients which en-
tiers into the cost of foreign goods to
the consumer, but other than that every
protectionist is orthodox, as measured by
the Report on Manufactures"
But the advocates of a revenue tariff
do not construe the Hamilton report as
1t is now interpreted by their opponents
In the first place, hey assert that it's ar
guments are we'll made. but not we'll
taken. They say that even Hamilton never
had any visions of protection being car
ried as far as it has been. Likewise, they
insist that 1t did not represent the views
| OF the nation. Dr. Henry c. Adams says
that 1T fails to prove that either Hamil-
ton or congress were the hight protection
lists they are represented as being.
At the beginning of the second session
of the first congress, Hamilton, as secre-
tnry Of the treasury. submitted his estf-
mates for the year. These called for near
ly four times as much money for interest
as was required for the maintenance of
| the government. The estimates called
for $4,000 for expenses, and 81, 2S9 900
meeting the interest on the domestic and
foreign debt. Hamilton recommended an
internal revenue tax on spirits, liquors
wines, etc, in order to swell the revenue
But congress was not willing. and this
proposition was overwhelmingly defeated.
Then the bill to increase the tariff rates
was taken up, debated, passed. and sign
ed by the president, all within fifty DAYS
Considering the fact that parliamentary
procedure was clumsy and unweildly in
those days, this IS almost record time
for the passage of a tariff law.
Even this measure proved to be a make
shift. Just as the failure of the supreme
court to uphold the income tax law is
held to have been responsible for the COL
lapse of the Wilson tariff, so the failure
of congress to provide for an internal
revenue tax to accompany the tariff act
of 1880 brought about a deficit In the
revenues, and a third session of the first
congress came to the rescue with an in
ternal revenue tax on spirits.
Again in 1892 the government needed
more money to defend the frontiers, the
expenditures exceeding the revenues by
more than $500, 900. Congress once more
called on Secretary Hamilton for a plan
by which TO raise more money. During
the debate on the resolution one member
said he opposed the manner of calling on
cabinet officers for information, that not
the EnoIiSh TarIfarnanf oh
sequious to ministers as some gentlemen
are to our secretaries" But the secretary
reported, estimating that the net amount
necessary to be raised would be S526 900
and that II could be secured by increas-
| ing the tariff rate. This was carried
| when the matter came up for action.
There was new tariff legislation again in
1874. Between that time and 1916 there
were twenty-four changes in the tariff.
In 1875 the duties on sugar and tea were
| simplified. In 1897 an addition was made
| to the duty upon sugar, molasses, tea, CO.
Goa, velvet and muslins. These increases
were to be applied to the liquidation of
the public debt.
Later in the same year the tax upon
salt was raised from twelve to twenty
cents0 and corresponding increases were
authorized on sailed goods. This salt
| tax was a bitter grievance to the people
of the back country" as the remote
| sections were then known. This duty
was expected to end in 1900, but it was
| extended for ten years, though finally
repealed in 1907. The year 1900 brought
new tariff legislation, the increases to
| be applied to the public debt.
In 1904 our troubles with the Barbary
powers made new revenues necessary
and the ad valorem rates were increased
2 1-2 per cent. There were other changes,
and in 1906 old copper. saltpetre, and sui
| phur were added to the free list, be-
| cause of the desire of the government
to provide itself with the munitions of
war At the beginning of the war of 1912
all duties were doubled, and this rate
was maintained until the general act of
1916 became effective.
During all these years the right of pc
! tition was not allowed to become rusty
/ by disuse, although it was less frequently
resorted to then than at present. For the
most part petitions received action, a
thing that would be impossible today.
A petition by paint makers for higher
duties, on the ground that they had in
vented a new and improved process for
making paint, brought forth a response
on the part of the committee on manu-
1 e.. hot he ~