Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1888 — THE "WAR TAXES." [ARTICLE]

THE "WAR TAXES."

It is frequently stated that war taxes are stiff ietaiued in the United States, when as ii matte! of fact they have been reduced*' fioin time to time" since so that now they are about half what they were at the highest point. Duties on imports were reduced in 18(2 1870 and DTS by'placing articles on the free lid and diminishing rates. According to the recent report of tho Bureau of Statistics, in' 18C8, tire average .ad valorem rate of-duty on all imports inh> this country was then 46pet cent; in 1870 it was 88 per cent; in 1670 it was 804 per cent; ami ii 1884 it was 28£ per cent. By a reduction of prices since 1884, but not by any change in duties, the average duty on all imports last year was 82 per cent. The average duties collected on all imports, free as Well as dutiable, from' 1821 to 1883 was 4(17 per cent. Even if the “low lari if" era between 184 G and 1857, the average, duty thus collected was 28. per cent. —only 2-7 per cent, less than in 1884.

The significant difference be tween the tariff of 18 88 ct- the Mills, bill, and the present tariff or the revised protective tariff now -proposed by republicans, consists in the fact that the tariff of 1846, as well as the Mills bill, imposed much lower duties on imported manufactured goods which would eorno into competition with the products of our own industries, than those now imposed, while tmthe other'hand the tariff of 1846 imposed heavier duties on tea, coffee and many, other articles net produced here, which are placed on the free list oi lightly taxed by the present tariff’. The Mills bill now imposes 68 per cent, on sugar and 100 per cent. 011 rice. For example, in 1854, of the 276 millions ci imports, only 22'; millions, or one-thirteenth came free of duty; while in 1884 of the 670 millions, 2111 millions, or one-thii-il, on mo fr.iiajd duty.