The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-10-18
Cost of Tariffs to the People.

dtional burdens upon the industry OF the
country for the enrichment of Eastern cap
italists, the Chicago Tribune, (the most
Radical abolition sheet in the Vest sald
THE advocates of the pending Tariff
Bill claim that they seek to protect Ameri
can industry and to advance the wages OF
the American laborer 1t is a singular fac,
that the Eastern manufacturers, who keep
house in Washington every session of Com
gress and have put through eleven tariff
bills in six years, are almost constantly en-
gagged in struggle with their own laborers
to keep wages down. 1t is also worthy OF
note that while the increase of the cost OF
living since the year 1860. caused mainly
by the eleven additions TO the tariff, has
been ninety per cent, the advance in the
rate Of wages has beer only sixtytwo per
cent, which proves that the laborer is worse
off now than he was under the Is per cent
tariff of 1860.
Again, after the passage of this tariff
BILL the same paper said of it:
g 1t is such a bare.fa faced cheat that no
man in the community, who has not stock
Of goods on hand on the sale OF which he
expects to rob his neiehbors from 20 10 100
per cent. Of their value, can fail to see and
denOunce 1t.
Ia discussing this tariff the New York
UoroM said
The crownng act Of Infamous legisla-
ton, cGrrU ptioD and imhcciIity OF the pres
ent Congress is about to be consumated in
the passage of the tariff bill reported by
the committee of Ways and means This
bill, if rightly named. should he called a
bill to enrich few New England aRd Penn
Sylyania manufacturers and few rich mer-
chants who have large stocks Of goods on
hand 1T the expense of the rest OF the COM
munlty. 1t 5 estimated and
we think the estimate is modcrate-that if
this tariff should become a law, it would at
once put Sj0O,000 900 into the pockets of
those who hold stocks of goods and into the
hands Of the forestallcrs" But
who pays for all this? The farmers OF the
West and North, the pIaCters, the mechan-
les, laborerS, and all industrious classes. =
They pay for it in enormous prices, and all
10 enrich bloaled monopoly.
The New York Commercial Journal said
Of this tariff
The new tariff bill, as reported by Mr.
Morrill,, Is a most sweeping, and Radical
measure 1t changes the rates of duties
upon upwards Of 900 separate articles =
The free list is largely increased, but it i
composed almost exclusively of articles that
10 not enter into general cousiimntinn, and
which constitute the raw material for man
ufactnrcrS. Upon articles Of general con
sumption, the changes are al Il most I'M
p0rtan character, and are from 20 to $50
per cent. higher. In general, the new tar
LII hil! Will add an average of about 80 per
cent to the cost of living In
many cases the taxes amount to absolute
prohibit on. This is an important depart
ure from the established principles of -ul
Government and people. which regard a
tariff as a source Of revenue rather than an
instrument OF protection and monopoly.
We sec by these Republican authorities
that the cost Of living, to the masses Of tho
whole country, has been increased l20 PEI
cent. by these tariffs imposed upon The
country ~ Republican Congress, but thai
increase has been greater to the people o
Wisconsin, while their labor, and the pro
ducts of that labor, have not been increased
one half of that per cent.
! But our Senators and Representatives il
! Congress, from this State, voted for ''thi
| cheat" 6 this crowning act of infamou
legislation, corruption and imbecility."
Why did they vote that our farmers, me
chanics, laborers, and all the industria
classes should pay enormous prices for tn
neccessaries Of life to enrich bloated mon
opo!y of New England capitalists? Fo
what did they barter away their vote
placed in their hands by majority of on
people when they knew their constituent
were to be cheated and robbed by the bar
gain They did it to obtain some fcy
thousand dollars of appropriations for on
harbors For every dollar appropriated 70
this purpose the bloated New Englan
monopoly drew four dollars from the pock
cts of our people.
Ought the people of Manitowoc count
to feel grateful to Congress for taxing ther
$400 600 and allowing them commisso
of 100000 to be expended on harbor 70
the benefit of commerce?
Annually, since 1860, these "b'oate
monopolists,' by their Congressional Ban
ditte, have met the Representatives Of tn
people on the great political highways 9
the Nation which all now radiate from Me-
England, and forced from them a surrende
OF the trusts reposed in them, and in tn
name Of God and humanity in til
name OF Reconstruction robbed the ID
boring, industrial masses of millions {
their hard earned dollars and left them sti
telling, and struggling, and sweating fc
more to be added to the already pethori
boards, and keep alive a set of unprinciplc
politicians.
That the people are becoming detsrmir
ed that they will not be much longer cbea,
cd and swindled as they have been, is ind
Gated By the returns from the late election
in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and some of tn
other States.