Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-04-10
N1orrill Tariff.

The Republican tariff, says the Chicago Times,
may be justly styled the bill Of denominations"
1t has not only alienated to inconsiderable ex-
tent, the good viii of European nations and left
at the mercy of Southern free trade, but it has
rapidly become byword and a reproach among
our people, for the bungling stupidity with which
it has been drawn and its giaring injustice to our
great laboring and consuming classes. This
tariff if carried out win collect from the pockets
of the farming, laboring ciasses-from the COM
mon peopIe-an amount of money wholly dispro-
portionate to their ability to pay. 1t not only
does not discriminate in favor of the poor, but it
discriminates directly against them. In the first
place it furnishes free list schedule of articles
not taxed, which are used almost exclusively by
the Weather classes. In the next place it taxes
most disproportionately the necessaries of life
and the Injuries Of life.
A very casual glance at the scale of taxation
viii prove this TO every impartial mind. As exam
pies, we viii furnish few items taken at random
from the several schedules The article of foreign
wines, known to be exclusively used by the rich,
are only taxed 40 cents per gallon-the average
on all foreign drinks being about 80 per cent. ad
Ualorem; fne foreign carpeting is taxed from %
to 80 per cent; raw silks only 20 per cent.-the
average on silks being from 20 to 80 per cent.
silk velvets range from Is to 30 per cent; china
only Is per cent; on jewelry generally the charge
is 25 per cent; while diamonds, canoes, mosaics,
gems, pearls, rubies and other precious stones,
are charged only .tiue per cent. Every reader
viii recognize these as articles of luxury. and
used almost exclusively, if not entirely, by the
low figure
Let us now turn to the other side of the ric-
lures On all iron, and iron manufactures which
enter into general consumption and are regarded
as necessaries of life, the tax is high and oner-
Gus to the last degree. For example: on bar
and rolled iron we have tax Of SIS per ton; on
railroad iron. So per ton; on boiler plate, 500
per ton; on fine wires, two cents per pound, with
an addition of Is per cent. al ualoresn; average
on rolled and hammered iron. $40 per ton; on
thin glazed sheet iron, $50 per ton; on steel, an
average Of $40 per ton. Thus on these articles
of daily use and requirement to the business and
toiling million, the tax is monstrous; while the
millionaire is permitted to sip his Monsediiado is
Champagne and Johanisberger at 30 cents per
gallon -.
But again: All wooden clothing is taxed at IL
cents per pound, with an addition of 25 per cent
nd ualorem; all wooden shavls, ETC., Is cents pei
pound, with an additional 20 per cent nd ualo.
-, o<,x,~,<,, d.r.,c., IN - ,,u.. ~ -
have the poor servant girl and the laborer's wife
or daughter paying a tax Of 30 per cent. on he,
cheap delaine dress, and is cents per pound, and
10 per cent. added, on her plain wooden shawl
while the rich and silken-curled, novel-readine
heiress Tolls on silk velvet sofa, paying Is pei
cent, and sports a silk morning wrapper paying
20 per cent? Then, again. we have the laborins
million paying a tax of 6 cents per bushel on bag
ged salt, to season their potatoes; while the child
of wealth is filing with exotic flowers porce
lain vase taxed at 30 per cent sd ualorem, ana
her bosom sweIls under richly carved canoes
taxed per cent, her ears burdened with dia
monds taxed 5 per cent. and her snowy neck an,
arms bound with ;eweIed necklaces and bracelet
paving 5 per cent. And the gallant snob WHIT
makes her a morning call, sports his golden To
bias, paying 10 per cent. ad ralorem!
Think of il, laboring menl your wives payn,
from 80 to 80 per cent. tax on their plain an
hard earned apparel. and you yourselves paying
tax of six cents a bushel for your salt. Will
watches pay Is per cent, rare wines pay 30 cent
on the gallon, or about 10 per cent, and dia
mond, pearls and rubies pay 5 per cent. An,
while you do think Of it, never forget that this
the work Of men who have literally made heave,
and earth sick with their cries of "free labor,
and nsuseased humanity with their hypocritica