The Duties On Glass

We have aiready shown that oor custuin- revenue exacts twenty-two different rates on sheet, plate, and window glass ; that the teinptation held out to dishonest reporters is a differentlal duty ou one aud the sanie glass, only ditteiing in Btze, no less thfin the dift'erenoe of 13 7-8 aud GO por cent. or IS per cent. and 89 per cent. Xo doubt many enterprising and unscrupulous importéis are ready and willing' to taki aiivantage ot' this stupid pitfall. The real question is to vvhat end and why are these enormous duties, theso unheard of diseicpancies iu the iate of duties, enaoted. The answer can be í'ound in thn l't'iinsylvania tariiï plank of the State Convention, which suys : " It would be a poor goverument, indeed, whirh conld oot arrange details of ïts tariiï ao as to eneourage American manufacturera, and give tliem the home market." Now whcn the tariiï was made, five establishments in the United States which manufacture plate-glass were anxious that tho Government should not be deemed a poor one, indeed, and they arranged the details so that rough plateglass above 24x30 inclies should pay a duty of 54 L-8 per cent., and 10x15 inehes only Ij per cent. ; that polished plateslass, not silvcred, should pay on not abo ve 10x10 inches 40 3-4 per cent., and not above lüx'24, 13 3-4, while above 24x 60 should pay a duty ot Si) 7-8 per cent. In short, in the plate-glass used in this country, independent of the window glass, there are tourteen different ratos, divided thus : Four range less than 2(1 per cent. ïwo above 20 per cent, and less than 30 per cent. Two above 30 per cent, and less than 10 per cent. Two above 40 per cent, and lasa than 50 por cent. One above 60 and loss than (ÍO percent. une above Ü0 and less than 70 per cent ïwo above 80 per cent., or 89 7-8 and 82 1-4 respectívely. From the above list anotUer most remarkable fact can be gathered, viz., that the glass paying the highest duties is mostly imported in spite oí the duties. - Thus, while we imported in 1871 $ö77il64 worth of glass that paid 89 7-8 per cent, duty we only imported $10,938 worth oi' the same class of glass that pays 13 3-4 per cent. duty. The five plate-glass establishments of the country naturally manufacture such glass as pays the highest duty and is in most demand, and when aecused of oUörilug au uuLictjULmö piuitvjuuu LAlc-j point to glass that only pays 13 3-4 per cent duty, but which is of course not needed, imported, or manufactured. - ïheso monopolists go about like foxes in vineyard that is abandoned by its ownr. They eat and epoil, and this is what Jennsylvania calis arranging the h titU f the taritï so as to encourage the home manufaoturer. Can it be wondered at ;hat a tarift' so dishonestly concsived, so hamef ully enaeted, should broed corrupt mporters who corrupt otricials ? The uestion may well be asked whether there s greater corruption in the original tariff or in the evading of duties. The whole )usiness is a robbery. - N. Y. World.