Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-11-12
TAXES PAID BY THE LABORING
CLASSES Ia

Ii is not possible for a man Of ordinary
knowledge of trade, and an average degree
Of fairness Of mind, to look over 1.-the tar
!, # rs it is, "the whig tariff of lS42," as
the wings themselves cal it in their hand
bills, without acknowledging that, if the ex-
press object of its trainers had been 10 op-
press the laborIng classes, they could not
have devised any thing more efficient. The
only reason Why that class. holding, as they
do, the political power ofthe United States,
have not, before this, risen up, ard, with
common voice. demanded its repeal, is that
they have not been allowed to know what
taxes they were paying. The real
amount OF what they pay as tax, is so
blended with the prices Of the articles they
consume, so cover cd up by mirimums and
other devices of the framors of the tariff,
and only TO be 60; at by the merchants in
voices, which they never see, that they pay
their money without knowing how much OF
j, might have been spared if they lived un-
der an equitable government.
If The reader will accompany US little
way in this article, we will give m anex-
ample Of the manner in which the laborIng
man is cheated intot the paymen, Of nearly
twice what he ough, 10 pay for his working
dress.
The woollen mills Of this country weave
large quantities Of kind Of coarse cloth
W I'm by lahoFing men, under the dcnom
inaton Of kerseys II has a cotton wool,
but the pr nciple material is the cheap wool
which is allowed by The presen, tariff to be
imported on the payment OF The nominal duty
OF five per cent. This wool is brought in
enormous Gu goes from Soulh America,
purchased by tho agents for the mills, IN
der the eyes Of OR own sheep owners, and
being manufactured into Jerseys, is sold az
an immense profit. to be worn BY laborcrs.
The price Of these cloths in our market
the wholesale price we mean-is seven
teen cents a yard. They may be Dough,
in England at seven cents and three-qua!-
ters. The importer pays a duty Of eighty
per cent, the shipping charges and COM
missions amount to about twenty-five per
cent, and selling these goods at the mar
ket price-for they still continue to be inn
ported obtains the moderate profit Of
about five per cent. Those goods are 10
be seen exposed for sale in the warehouses
along our principal commerci-l streets.
where any person can satisfy himself OF
the exactnesS Of our statement.
Ii follows that, but for the high duty laid
on kerseys, the lahore. nigh, Purchase them
eighty per cent, cheaper than now; and not
eighty per cent. merely. but. it We estimate
q profit of five per cent. to the merchant
on that duty. eighty-five per cent. cheaper
than now. If he purchases the American
article, he pays this eigh,y-6ve per cent
TO the manufacturer. When he lays out a
dollar and sgh'y-fve In the purchase Of
these coarse cloths, the eighty-ivs cents
are taxa tribute.
Yet these people boast Of being the
friends Of domestic Industry. These mill
owners and their attorneys and agents who
have had the dex,erity 10 procure the pass
age Of law making their machinery a
source Of immense profit, vnunt themselves
to be the friends Of American labor. They
first reduce the duty on that kind Of WOO
for which they have most occasion to q
mere nominal rate /: they then raise the duty
on the cloths Cor which the working mar
has mos: occasion to the oppressive rate d
eighty per cent Having thus taken care
that he shall be taxed, and they exempted
from taxation, they issue hand-bills, -one
Of which is now before us,-calling uPor
tho "mecha MICS, cartmen, butchers, sailors
and all those who earn a livelihood by their
own strong arms" 20 attend meetings de.
signed to sustain the very tariff by which
the miI-owner is favored and the aboring
man oppressed. The labo:er goes in his
Jacket on which he has paid forced irib-
ute without knowing it, of nearly half its
price to the manufacture, and hears, Daniel
Webster. paid agent Of the mill-owners
haranguing on the blessings of,he tariff as
il 10, and insisting that the laborer shall
no, only be taxed by ii, but vote for il.
A. e. Post.