The Tariff

The details of administration in all things must be in accord with the fundamental principles and general truths upon which the matter rests, otherwise any theory based upon such erroneous details is as though based on shifting sands. It must fall; the higher and grander the structure thus founded, the more certain is its downfall.

There are now in this country two Opposing policies. In regard to Custom House taxation. One of these is the policy of a tariff or tax for revenue only. The money thus raised is used by the government for the maintenance of order, defend ing the commonwealth and the usual legitimate needs of administrating the laws. Incidentally this tax like all others works harder on some persons than on others, but this it tries to avoid. It never intends private persons to derive a revenue from public taxes. The tariff or tax for revenue only is laid exclusively for the benefit of the government and to derive the greatest amount of return with the least burden on trade. The other policy is called a tariff or tax for protection. This is mainly laid for the benefit of private enterprises in the hands of private persons who operate them solely for their own advantage. Without these contributions forced from the people by this system of taxing and without the revenue thefavored, ones thus receive, it is contended that their enterprises would languish. The incidental part of the protective tax is that the government receives a revenue. This revenue going to the government, however, is but a small part of the tax paid by the people. It is impossible to determine what this propor tion is, but it is probably less than ten per cent of the tax paid and may not be one per cent; that is 90 per cent, or perhaps 99 per cent. Of this public tax for protection goes to private persons, and from one to ten per cent. Goes to public uses. The culmination of the protective tax is that private persons should receive all and the government none, either by making the tax so high as to be prohibitive on foreign importations, or by actually prohibiting them.

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