The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-10-07
TARIFF PLUNDER.
Eew the People are Robbed In The
Name Of Protection.
General Thomas Ewing on Radical Tariff
Robbery, in his speech at Hamilton,
Ohio-A Graphic Statement OF
the Case.

Fellow citizens, it seems almost incredi
BILE, and yet it has been demonstrated to be
true, that altogether the General Governs
msnt only gets S75 900, 900 of revenue from
the tariff on articles grown or manufactured
in this country, yet the burden laid on the
people by the tariff on those articles amounts
TO $500, 200, 900. For example, take salt
of which 40, 900 900 OF bushels are annually
consumed, on which there is tariff OF
eighteen cents per bushel. About 1,000,0OO
of bushels are imported, and the other
SO ,000, 900 are manufactured In this country
We will take Special Commissioner Wells
statements, who is high authority and
gentleman, who, upon retirement from office,
q couple of months ago, was complImented
in the most marked manner IN q letter
signed by almost every republican ID both
branches of congress for his honesty anG
ability in the discharge OF his duties a.
Special Com missioner of the Revenue. Mr.
Wells shows In his report that the salt man
ufacturers in this country make salt at d
cost of only five cents per bushel more than
before this high tariff was imposed, and that
they get eighteen cents bushel more for
their salt than they would if there was no
tariff. Now, you see how it works. Nearly
1000, 600 bushels OF salt imported, paying
eighteen cents bushel to the General Gov
erDment, Weld revenue of 81 200 600
The $4,000, 600 bushels that are made il
this country are put up to eighteen cents 4
bushel more than they would sell for bat
for 'he tariff. The result is, the people ray
$1,000, 900 year extra on their salt by
reason of this tariff 81 200 0AG goes into
the Treasury. and So, 900, 900 into the peck
OF M 10
when you take the aggregate of all the pro
tected articles. $4,000. 900 go into the
Treasury as revenue, and $225 .00G, 900 2,
into the pockets OF the manufacturers, by
increase of price upon the article protected
This is the general result, as stated by the
New York Erenjnq Post. and Substantial
by Mr.. Well5-both high republican author
ties.
Now, who gets this 1925 900, 900? There
are only : per cent. of the whole America
people men, women and children, who are
interested in or supported BIZ the manuta C
ture of protecred articles Mr. Wells show
ID his report that the laborers in these
various establishments do not get any
higher wages now than In 1861, considering
the changed cost of living Mos, OF the
enormous sum, therefore, instead of bene
as so much bonus paid BY the Americas
people to the capitalists who own the various
manufactures of protected articles. From
one to two hundred thousand people are all
that are interested directly or indirectly, as
capitalists. Ia all these manufactures to
gether. Yet 1925, 900 900 OF the peoples
money j. taken from them every year sno
paid into the hands of these one or two
hundred thousand people | ask any Re
publican who wishes to consider this ques
ton fully, to look at these reports of Com
missioner Wells founded upon the most
careful observations, made BY man who
went into the office protectionist, and
whose change of opinion has resulted from
the logic OF impartial figures.
Ny fsllow citizens, it would be good
deal better for the people of shis country if
the tariff on these protected articles were
and 1926, 100000 lust levied as
tax upon the whole people, and handed
over in money to these manufacturers as q
bonus for making their wares. If that
were DONE, we should have cheap wares.
Railroad building would be greatly increas.
ed, because railroad iron could be bought
cheap. Steel rails would be laid instead OF
inferior iron rails, thus making transporta
ton and travel cheaper and safer. ship
building, especially of iron ships, would
revive, because material would be greatly
reduced in cost. All manufactures which
are now unprotected or but partially protec
ed, would thrive, because raw material OF
IRON, steel, leather, etc., would be reduced
III price, and a Thousand Industries now
PROSTATE or languishlng would arise and
prosper. Another advantage of that plan
~ou'o De that the people would see what
they pad, to whom, and what for. The
people oil Ohio would see that they pay
S22,50O,oOO per year as a bonus to a few
capitalists TO induce them to make articles
four htths OF which would be made inst tn.
same without the bonus. And thew wonld
see, too, that though s25 000, 900 are p,;o
BY them, not one fifth of that sum falls IN
Ohio manufacturers as bonus. That ia
that the protective tariff, in addition to the
objection that only q petty class of the
people get its benefits. while all the people
bear its enormous burdens, is open to the
still further objection that nearly all of that
petty favored class live in one small section
OF the country, SO that the tariff bonus,
IKE the National Bank and bond bonuses
anu exemptions, goes almost wholly to
fAvorites down East
The annual distribution of tariff bonuses