LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
WHY NOT A GENERAL TARIFF ?
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—As an old and convinced Free Trader, I should like to say that I agree generally with the article published in your issue of the 12th inst. entitled " Why Not a General Tariff ? " I have for long thought that the Government should have introduced such a tariff at an early period of the war. The imposition of indirect taxes for revenue purposes is in no way opposed to Free Trade principles.
As regards the preference accorded to the Colonies, it is to be observed that one of the main objections that Free Traders entertained against this measure was that it necessarily involved the imposition of a general tariff. Now that such a tariff has become, as I venture to think, necessary, this objection wholly disappears. For the rest, in view of the staunch loyalty shown by the overseas Dominions of the Crown in the hour of our trial, it appears to me perfectly legitimate that political should be allowed to predominate over economic reasons to such an extent as to allow a preference for Indian and Colonial produce. I wish, however, to remark that, unless all the old abuses of the past are to be revived, the difference between the duties imposed on goods coming from foreign countries and from British Dominions must not be excessive. Otherwise, foreign goods will, in order to avoid the duty, be sent to British possessions, and thus, at the ports of the United Kingdom, be able to claim the preference.
I notice that you advocate a 10 per cent. duty. Whether the general tariff should be fixed at any other figure, say from 4 to 10 per cent., depends on what the experts in theSe matters consider the rate calculated to yield the maximum amount of revenue. The decision on this point, however, is a matter of detail, and does not involve any question of principle.—I am,
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