The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-04-08
One Hundred Thirty-Two
Years Ago National Leg
islat0rs Faced Problem
Confronting 9th
FIRST IMPORTATION
TAX VOTED IN 1889
THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER DEC.
LARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
THE INITIAL PROTECT
I'VE ACT" PASSED


Washington. April S.-Many a musty
oddity of forgotten statutes has been
turned up by a search of the capitol
archives. This has disclosed that the
first congress assembled under the
constitution faced the same problem
as will the Sixty-Seventh, when il
meets Monday
The first tariff act was passed on
July 4, 1889. Its formal title statement
Of purpose-"for laying duty on goods
wares, and merchandise imported into
the United States'-carred u bluntness
which statesmen for the next hundred
years were to avoid
1T Is necessary for the support of the
government" this first congress said,
for the discharge of debts Of the United
States and for the encouragement and
protection Of manufacturers that a duty
be laid upon goods, wares and mer-
chandise imported"
II was just 100 years. the compila-
ton shows, before such straight.
forward statement Of purpose about
encouraging and protecting manufac-
turers" would be made again in an i'm
port tax statute, though the purpose
was most evidently behind most of the
scores of following acts. So simple was
the first bin that 1t required only two
pages Of the committee print against
more than 100 for the Payne-Aldrich
act of 1909.
Too simple, il probably was, for q
year later-August 10, 1790.--congress
passed "An act making farther provis-
ion for the payment of debts of the
United States"
More deftly, the purpose OF the next
tariff bill as 1t passed on March 2. 1892.
was stated TO be "for the raising OF
farther sum OF money for the protection
of frontiers" evading any remarks
about protection of Industries. Its du.
ties were increases. ann one duty inn
posed was coal, per bushel. four and
one-halt cents.
Two years later the famous Trfpoli
troubles arose and congress, on March
&c. 1894 passed an act to protect the
commerce and seamen of the United
states against the Barbary powers.
This act slapped on general increase
Of two and one.half and 10 per cent ad
valorem duties. The statute stated it.
self to be temporary, for one year but
the title proved to be too goot To be
wasted. Year by year after, clear up TO
1913. congress reiterated its laudable
purpose. re-enacted its increased sche-
dulles, and announced II was going af-
ter the Barbary pirates with a continu-
alton OF the tariff for another twelve
months.
In k.. lon. ..
war with Great Britain and in a hasty
and brief paragraph of statute. congress
announced IAN additional duty OF 100
per cent on all permanent duties 10 be
collected FOR the duration uf hostiites.
The tax on imported salt. incidentally,
got up TO ~ cents pound
This was about the end of the early
tariff era, according 10 the compilation.
For the next ~ years, most 81 the acts
were labelled "to reduce duties" This
they plainly did, for salt tax was placed
at 10 cents bushol. Congress was
fruitful OF enactments ito release from
duty iron prepared for railways" and
the like.
Presidential proclamations reduced
schedules even further. one dated Feb
ruary 20. 1858. noted that vessels and
subjects OF His Holiness the Pope" were
no longer to be charged higher customs
rates because reciprocity with the Holy
See had been arranged
But the tariff came back with the
beginning OF the Civil War. Congress on
March 9. 1851 passed An act ~ pro.
vide for payment OF outstanding treas.
ury notes. II was composed Of &c
pages of tariff schedules. This length
forcshadowed the modern era.
with misplaced optimism. on July
IL. 1892. congress asserted II had pass
I'd an act increasing. temporarily. the
duties ON Imports The succeeding war
enaetments took the word temporary
completely out of the congressional tax.
laying vocabulary.
with the end Of the Civil War. acts
reducing import duties went into cf-
feet but on March ,. 1854 when the
modern political controversy over tariff
was well under way. tho title was al.
most as politely evasive as the version
about the Barbary pirates. IL was called
AN act TO reduce internal taxation"
one or two measures designed az re-.
ductlons interviewed. ami then congress
came back, after a century. to speak az
straiEhtforwarhly under President Nc
'eklnley Ia 1897. as II nad under Presi-
dent Washington The tariff label Of
ficially was AN act =. to encourage
the industries OF the United states" The
payne-Aldtich Law. enacted some l6
years later. used almost exactly these
y same wotds. while preliminary drafts
Of majority proposals 10 come before the
enew congress which meets week hence
Indicate that tht Mckinley WI Washington
4 nrecedent will be respected again.
i