The Tariff in Our Times

This concise narrative traces the development of U.S. tariff policy from the early Republic through the early twentieth century, showing how duties on imports have been used as revenue tools and as protection for emerging industries. Relying on contemporary newspaper reports, personal recollections, and official records, the author reveals how popular demands for lower duties on raw materials like wool and cotton were repeatedly overridden by legislators favoring protectionism. Key episodes such as the 1857 reduction to a 20 % average rate, the contentious “Tariff of Abominations,” and the series of bills from McKinley to Dingley illustrate the ongoing tug‑of‑war between free‑trade hopes and political dogma.

The book also examines the personalities, business interests, and regional rivalries that drove each debate, from Henry Clay’s early advocacy to the growing influence of industrialists in the late nineteenth century. By highlighting the moral and economic arguments of the era, it shows why many tariff decisions felt like a defeat of the popular will, setting the stage for later reform efforts.