Recollections of Forty Years in the House, Senate and Cabinet: An Autobiography.Sherman, John
History
Recollections of Forty Years in the House, Senate and Cabinet: An Autobiography.
Sherman, John
Sherman, John, 1823-1900; Statesmen -- United States -- Biography; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century
As to the manner of taxation and the places where duties should be
collected, all will agree that they should be paid as nearly as
possible where the goods are to be consumed. The concentration of
importations at any one port on the coast, or at several ports,
gives to the people residing at or near such favored ports an
advantage over the people living in the interior of the country.
The system of interior ports, or places of delivery to which goods
may be consigned, has been adopted and generally approved. The
object is that all parts of the country shall have equal facilities
and bear equally the burdens of taxation.
The method of importations should be so simplified that any person,
in any part of the United States, may order from any commercial
port or country any article desired and be able to receive it and
pay the prescribed duty, at any considerable port or city in the
United States that he may designate.
As to the objects of tariff taxation there is and always will be
an honest difference of opinion. The main purpose is to secure
the revenue from foreigners seeking our market to dispose of their
products. The United States has the right, exercised by every
nation, to determine upon what terms the productions of foreign
nations shall be admitted into its markets, and those terms will
be such as its interests may demand. Great Britain may admit nearly
all commodities free of duty, but even that country is guided by
her interests in all her commercial regulations. All other nations
classified as civilized seek, like the United States, by tariff
laws, not only to secure revenue, but to protect and foster domestic
industries. Japan has won its entrance among civilized nations by
securing treaties with European countries and the United States,
by which she has been relieved from restrictions as to her duties
on imports, and now has the right to regulate and fix her import
duties as her interest dictates.
The United States has from the beginning of its government declared
that one object of duties on imports is the encouragement of
manufactures in the United States, and, whatever may be the dogma
inserted in a political party platform, tariff legislation will
continue to have a double object, _revenue and protection_. This
was strikingly exemplified by the recent action of Congress in the
passage of the tariff law now in force.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account