The Tariff As It Is

The Substitute Proposed by its Adversaries. 11 remarks apply with equal or nearly equal force to all the changes from specific to a,d valorem duties proposed by the new Tariff bill. They are all adverse to American and unduly favorable to Foreign interests—not merely Industrial but Commercial. They are not like the duties proposed by the Compromise Act, which were to be levied on the American value of the several articles, but are levied on the Foreign cost, which will always open a wide door to fraud and unequal valuation. Can the American People approve the change proposed ? XVI. Objections to Specific Duties. It is commonly asserted by adversaries of the present Tariff that it imposes the same duties on poor arid cheap Silks as on rich and costly ones, but this is abundantly refuted by a simple reading of the law. It has been frequently broadly asserted that coarse, poor Silks - weigh more per yard than fine, more valuable fabrics; but this is easily refuted by the certain evidence of the scales,the value of Silks being not precisely but generally correspondent to their weight. And it can hardly be denied that the general, natural effect of imposing duties specifically, or upon the mini, mum principle, is to check the importation of the refuse and trashy wares arid fabrics which are and will be imported under ad valorem duties.—It is an insulting assumption that the Laboring Classes of this country consume only or mainly articles of poorer quality than their neighbors. If it were true, it is time they learned that it is more ecom mical, more respectable, more sensible, to wear good Cotton or Woolen fabrics than shabby Silks, and to drink good Water than bad Wines. But it cannot be that many of them need this lesson. XVII. Hemp and its Manufactures. The proposed Tariff, it will be seen, not only abolishes all specific duties on Hemp, Cotton Bag. ging, Cables, Cordage, Twine, &c. but permits the importation of all at the same equal rate of thirty per cent, ad valorem. Where is the ‘ Incidental Protection’ we are told of? Hemp is a bulky article, and is largely imported from Russia, to which Country our exports in return are small. The cost of transportation is consequently considerable. Now abolish the specific, discriminating duties, and how are our rope-walks, manufactories of Cables, Cordage, &c. to stand ? The duty on the raw material is the same as that on the manufacture; the cost of importing the raw material is greater than that of importing the manufacture. The Foreign manufacturer of these fabrics will have a decided advantage in our markets over his American rival. Is this American legislation ? For whose benefit ? How justified ? XVIII. Iron, Manufactures of Iron, ^c. The section of the Tariff as it is which relates to. Iron Manufactures, Lead, Tin, Coal, &c. is as follows. (Sec. 4:) First. Ou iron in birs or bolts, not manufactured in whole prin part by rolling, seventeen debars per ton; on bar or bolt iron, made wholly or in part by rolling, twenty-five debars perlon: Provided, That all iron, in slabs, blooms, loops, or O’her form, less finish-d than iron in bats or bolts, and more advanced than pig iron, except castings, shall berated -s iron in bars or bolts, and pav a duty accordingly : Provided, also, that i.on imported prior to the third of March, 1843, in ears or otherwise, lor railways or inclined planes, shall be entitled to the benefits of the provisions of existing laws ex.rotting it f om the payment of dutv on proof of its having been actually and permanently laid down tor use on any railway or inclined plane prior to the third day of March, 1813; and all sneh iron imported from and after the date aforesaid shall be subject to pav the dutv on rolled iron. Second. Ou iron in pigs, nine dollars per ton; on vessels o£ cast iron, not otherwise specified, one cent and a hal' per pound; on all other castings of iron not otherwise specified, one cent per pound ; on glazed ortiuhollow ware and castings, sad irons or smoothing irons, batters’ or tailors’ presung irons, and cast iron butts or hing.s, two and a half cents per pound; on iron or strel wire not exceeding No 14, five cents per ptund, and over No. 14, and not exceeding No. 25. eight cents per pound; over No. 25, eleven cents per pound; silvered or plated wire, thirty per centum ad valorem; brass or coppered wire, twenty-five per centum ad valorem; cap or bonnet wire, covered with silk, twelve cents per pound; when covered with cotton thread or other material, eight cents per pound; on round or square iron, or braziers’ rods, of three-sixteenths to ten-sixteenths oi an inch tn diameter, inclusive, and on iron m nail or spike rods, or nail plates slit, rolled or hammered, and on iron in sheets, except taggers’iron, and on hoop iron, and on iron slit, rolled, or nammered, for baud iron, scroll iron, or casement rods, iron cables or chains, or parts hereof, u^nu fictured in wh„le or in part, of whatever diameter, the links being of the form peculiar to chains for cables, two and a half cents per pound; on all other chains of iron, not otherwise specified, the Jinks being either twisted or straight, and, when straight, of greater length, than those used in chains for. cables, thirty per centum ad valorem; on anchors, or. parts of anchors, manufactured in whole or in part, anvils, blacksmiths’ hammers and skdges, two and a half cents per pound; on cut or wrought iron spikes, th.ee cents per pound; and on cut iron nails, three cents per pound; and on wrought iron nails, Ou axle-trees, or parts thereof, mill irons and mill cranks ot wrought iron, or Wrought iron for ships, locomotives and steam engines, or iron chains other than chain cables, and on malleable iron or castings,-four cents per pound; on steam, gas, or water, tubes or pipes, made of baud or robed ir n, fire cents per pound; on mill saws, cross cut saws, aud pit saws, one dollar each; on tacks, brads a> d sprigs, not exce< dii.gsix- teen ounces to the thousand, five cents per thousaud; exceeding sixteen ounces lo the thousuid, five cents | er pound; on taggers’iron, five per centum ad valorem: Provided, That all articles partially manufactured, n t otherwise provided for, shill pay the same rate of du y as if wholly manufactured: Jlrii provided, also, That no artiJes manufactured from » eel, s 'ret, rbd, hoop, or other kinds of iron, shall pay a less at ui duty than is chargeable on the material of which it is comp ed in who e or in part, paying he highest ra e oi duty eilhei uy weight or valu*-, and a enty of fifteen per centum ad valorem on the cost of the aiticle added thereto. Third. Un all old or scrap iron, ten dollars per ton: Provi ded, That nothing shall be deemed old iron ihat has not been in .tctual use, and fit only to be remauu actured; and an pieces of iron, except old. of more than six inches in length, or of sufficient length to be made into spites and bolts, shall be ra-. ted as bar, rod or hoop iron, as the cas- may be, aud pay duty accordingly: Provided, also, That all vessels of cast iron, and all castings of iron not rough as from the mould but partially manufactured after the castings, er wi h handles. lings, hoops, or other additions of wrought ireu, sh-.ll pay thes-me rates of duty herein imposed-on all other mauulacturss of wrought iron, not herein enumerated, if that shall amount to mote than the duty on castings. Fourth. Un muskets, one dollar and fifty cents per stand; rifles, two dollars and fifty cents each; on axes, a .zes, hatchets, p ane irons, socket chisels aud vices drawing knives, cutting knives, sickles or reaping hooks, scythes spades, shovels, squares of iron or steel, plated <r polished steel saddlery and brass saddlery, coach and harness furniture of all descriptions, steelyards and scale beams, and all fire aims other than muskets and rifles, and all side arms, thirty per centum ad valorem; on square wire, used for the manufacture of stretchers for umbrellas, wuen cut i pieces not exceeding the length suitable therefor, twelve and a half per centum ad valorem Fijth. On screws made of iron, caLed wood screws, twelve cents per pound; and on all other screws of iron not specified, thirty per centum ad valorem; on brass screws, thirty cents per pound; rn sheet and rollrd brass, a duty of thirty per centum ad valorem; on brass battery, or hammered kettles, twehe cents per pound. Sixth On cast, shear, and German steel in bars, one d. liar and fifty cents per one hundred and twelve pounds; and on all other steel in bars, two dollars and fifty cents per one hundred and twelve pounds; on solid headed pins, and all other package pins, not exceeding five thousmu to the pack of twelve papers, forty cents pe' pack, at d in ttie same proportion for a gie.ter or less quantity; on pound pins, twenty cents per pound; on sewing, tambouring, darning, netting and knitting, and ail other kinds of needles, a duty of twenty per centum ad valorem; on common, tinned, ano japanned saddlery, of all descriptions, twenty per centum ad valorem Seventh On jap mued ware of all kinds, or papier mache, and plated and gilt wares of all kinds, and on cutlery of all kinds, and all other maculae ures not otherwise specified, made of brass, iron, steel, lead copper, pewter, or Un, or of which either of these metals-is a component material, thirty per centum ad valorem: Provided That all manufactures of iron and steel, or other mateiials. par.ly finished, shall pay the same rates ot duty as if entirely finished. Eighth On lead, in pigs and ba. s, three cents per pound; on obi and scrap lead, one cent anda half per pound; leaden pipes, eaden shot, and lead n sheets, or in any o’her form not herein specified, lour cents per pnuud; on type metal and stereotype plates, twenty-five per centum ad valorem; types, whether

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