Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1882 — ENORMITY OF THE TARIFF. [ARTICLE]

ENORMITY OF THE TARIFF.

“ Protection ” During 1881. [From the New York Time*.] The details of the existing tariff are so numerous and so complex that the Bureau of Statistics does an excellent service when it prepares returns showihg the amount and value of each article imported during the year, the tax as defined by law, the amount of tax collected and the average ad-valorem tax. The return for the fiscal year ending Jane 30, 1881, has just been published, and is exceedingly interesting. It shows that the total imports for the year were $650,618,999, of which a little less than 69 per cent, or $448,061,588, was dutiable, and the remainder was free of duty. It may be said with substantial correctness that our total imports were $650,000,000, of which 70 per cent, were dutiable. In these latter the average tax collected was 43.2 per cent. The range of duties for commodities imported in any considerable quantities was from 10 per cent, up to 325 per cent. The greater part, both .in value and amount, ranged from 20 per cent, to 70 per cent. Of the free imports ($202,557,411) the following were the principal: Chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc $ 24,000,000 Coffee r!T7... .7........ 57,000,000 Tea 1 21,000,000 Sugar (Hawaiian) 6,000,000 Fish (Canadian) 2,000,000 Hides and skins... 88,000,000 India rubber 11,000,000 Paper materials 6,000,800 6ilk (oocoons, raw, etc.) 12,000,000 l’in (pig, bar, etc.) 4,000,000 Wood (unmanufactured) 4,000,000

Total. $178,000,000 Of these, tea, coffee and Hawaiian sugar and Canadian fish amount to $85,500,000. Tea and coffee constitute about 40 per cent, of the total free imports, the duty on whioh was surrendered, without advantage to the people of the United States, for the purpose of maintaining the high protective duties. The other free imports are almost wholly articles serving as raw materials of manufacture. They are admitted free on a sound principle, not only in the interest of freedom of exchange, but also in direct encouragement of American manufactures. Their exemption from taxation is a real protection, and this exemption should be largely extended. How much room there is for such extension may be seen from the following facts : The imports of taxed chemicals in 1881 were nearly $15,000,000, on which an average tax of 34.5 per cent, was collected. The tax varied from 10 per cent, to 222 per cent.—the latter, however, on only a small importation of tannic acid, on which the duty is in effect prohibitory. Of the more onerous duties there were: On alum and sulphate of alumina, 56 per cent.; aniline dyes, with imports of $1,200,000, 68 per cent.; chloroform (practically prohibitory), 151 per cent.; sulphate of copper, or copperas, a very useful chemical, 79 per cent.; licorice paste, with imports of 772,000 pounds, 79 per cent.; carbonate of magnesia, 60 per cent.; caustic soda, ■with imports of 1,150,000 pounds, 64 per cent.; kaolin, with imports of 7,000 tons, 62 per cent., and unwrought clay 50 per cent. Each of these taxes is imposed with no reference to revenue, and none of them yields any revenue worth mentioning. They are most of them indirect taxes, and some of them, with others which we have not cited, are prohibitory taxes in the interest of special classes of capitalists and against the interest of American industry. Of the manufactures of cotton, some $28,000,000 were imported in 1881, with an average tax of 38 per eent. The imports have increased over 50 per cent, within the last two years. The duties range from 20 per cent, up to 79 per cent., most of the imports being taxed from 35 to 60 per cent. Many of the mixed duties are very oppressive, and the classification is complex and often inexplicable. Thus, while cotton hosiery is admitted at 35 per cent, or less than the average, cotton yarn or warp, for use in manufactures, is taxed from 40 per cent, to 61 per cent., the largest importation of high-priced yarns at 54 per cent. tax. In the same way cotton laces, which, with hosiery, constitute nearly one-half the imports, are taxed at 35 per cent., while thread on spools, which can only be used as material for manufacture, is taxed from 75 to 79 per cent. All the taxes on cotton, considering the uses to which cotton is put, are unjustifiable, and should be largely reduced. None of them should exceed 331 P er cent., aud many of them should be taken oft altogether. The aver age. duties on hemp, flax and other manufactures are comparatively low, being about 22 per cent., but some of them are curiously contradictory. Thus, bags, other than bagging for cotton, are taxed 40 per cent. Bagging for cotton and the like is taxed 2 oents per pound if valued at less than 7 cents per square yard, and 3 cents if above that value. During 1881 these taxes were 38.8 per cent, and 58.8 per cent, respectively, and a slight fall in the value of the cheaper kind would bring the tax on cotton bagging to a higher rate than 40 per cent. These taxes are discriminating, as well as inexcusably imports of iron and steel, which were less than $10,000,000 in 1879, were last year over $51,000,000, with an average duty of 40 per cent. The taxes range from 17 per cent, up to 131 per cent., and are mostly from 30 per cent, up to 60 per cent. The list affords some of the worst instances of the inequality of our tariff and its injustice to American industry and enterprise. Thus, anchors are taxed 2} cents per pound, which last year amounted to 89 per cent.; band-iron at from 55 per cent, to 65 per cent.; bar-iron at from 35 per cent, to 58 per cent.; cables at 75 per eent.; cut-nails at 53 per cent.; chains from 35 per cent, to 58 per cent.; cotton machinery at 50 per cent.; hollow-ware, glazed or tinned, at 82 per cent.; locomotive tires, 64 per cent.; wire, 71 per cent.; wire-rope, of the kind chiefly imported, 59 per cent.; wrought-iron rail-road-chairs, nuts and washers, 131 per cent. Of steel imports, rails, which are the most important, paid last year an average of 76.3 per cent., the mean invoiced value being $35.84 per gross ton. The imports of wool and woolens, in 1881, were $45,000,000, about 50 per cent, more than in 1879 and slightly less than in 1880. The average duty was 6C per cent.; the duties varied from 26 pei cent, to 103 per cent. The principal imports of wool were of carpet wools al from 24 per cent, to 30 per cent., and clothing wools at from 42 per cent tc 65 per cent.' On carpets the duties range from 40 per cent, to over 96 per cent, and are the heaviest on the cheaper kinds. Thus, tapestry Brussels pays 76 per cent, while Aubusson wove® whole for rooms pays only 50 per cent; druggets pay 96 per cent, while velvet carpets pay 67 per cent Wifi mgs only

40 per cent. All clothing and materials for clothing of wool are excessively taxed. Dress goods are taxed from 64 per cent, to 70 per cent., flannalß from 62 per cent to 102 per cent., hosiery from 55 per cent, to 89 per cent., clothing 56 per oent., and qloth 73 per cent., while manufactures not specified are taxed at various rates from 69 per cent, for the most valuable to 85 per cent, for the cheapest. These are some of the more obviously oppressive taxes under our present system. They are laid on food, raw material, machinery, clothing and the materials for clothing. That they “protect” American industry or enterprise is an impudent and transparent falsehood.