Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-11-25
What Constitutes Revenue Tariff =

Under The head Of /" A Curious Illustration,
the Toledo Commercial OF the 18th inst, reviews
an illustration of the Chicago Tribune, in which
that paper exhibits the absurdity and injustice
of the national tariff That our readers may
understand the true position occupied by the
Tribune, as an advocate of Revenue Reform, we
reprint its views below on what constitutes
revenue tariff. Its importance is such as will
command attentive perusal from every taxpayer:
All duties on imported property are "protec-
ton " t. competing articles, TO the extent OF the
tax imposed, up TO the point OF prohi6ton,-thai
is, they enable the domestic manufacturer to
charge and exact for bis wares the amount oi
the duty, in addition to the regular market price
of the goods duty Of one dollar II ton on iron
il "protection" Of that amount TO the domes-
tic manufacturer of the article, because 1t en-
ables him to charge one dollar ton above the
unobstructed market price for his metal. The
Clay tariff Of 1912 levied duties averaging "a
per cent on foreign manufactures, and 1t was
considered, by the Wings OF those days. as
highly protective tariff, with which they pro
fessed to be entirely satisfied. But the present
tariff averages 65 per cent and on the necessa-
res OriiFe, such as clothing, calicoes, bedding,
boots and shoes, carpets, erockery, glass, wood
en- ware, leather, furniture, iron and steel, rails
implements of mechanism, coal. salt ETC., 1t
ranges from so ~ 100 per cent. Thisls m enor-
nous, cruel tax on the people, imposed for Tue
benefit OF particular classes oil capitalists az Inc
expense of the mass, as the tax is not confined
to the imported articles, but is exacted on the
domestic as well as on the imported commodity
Ii this tax all found its way into the National
Treasury, il, would suffice to pay oil the nation
nj debt, principal aud interest, in less than hree
years. But, while the people pay oO 10 lOO per
cent extra on every thing they consume only
tenth part Of it goes into the National treasury;
the remaining nine tenths flow into the private
treasures of the special interests which collect
it. And it is the enormous income derived
from this source which gives what IS ia'seiY
called the protective policy its whole strength
which subsidies political demagogues ana con-
trolls newspapers.
When the actual difference between revenue
reformer and a so-called prOtectionst Is care
fully ana'yzed, II is found to consist ~ the oo
ject for which tariff should be imposed Inc
former class are in favor OF leYylng II lot reVe-
nue., making protection 10 manufacturers an IN
cidet thereof. The latter insist ON imposing tne
tax for protection to manufacturers, making
re7enue the incident The first named are OPP
posed 10 making the tariff any higher than Is
needed to raise the requisite money ior tne sup
port Of the government, econolcally aImlnlstersni
the other class want the duties to be as nearly
prohibhory as possible in order that the domes.
tic manufacturer shalt have the pnviiege VI
charging double or treble prices Tor MS goous
and wares. The main purpose OF the one class
is TO raise sufficient revenue with tue ieast ouTHe'
10 the people, aud 10 keep down the cost OF ny
ing as much as possible. The grand aim of me
other class of economists Is to make all arueles'
except food, as dear as possible, and SKIN the
farmers, who have no protection Tor their p,- pip-
duets. by compelling them TO pay ar,lnela,ly
high prices for their store goods and lmplemeh.s'
and receive low prices for their corn ana eati'e,
wheat and swine. The farmers are oegnning
10 understand this eut-throat game OF me mis-
called prolectiOnists, who "never say turkey 20
them once." Hence the explanation OF the 0o-
seryable fact that no Western political convsn
tion controlled by farmers has recently passed
what is called a protection plank in their plat
forms, but, 10 every instance declared for a rev.
snue iariff. But. in cities and towns which are
dominated or influenced by special Oranehrs q
manufacture, resolutions are passed Prauug
about "protectou to American industry Dut
meaning the enactment OF revenue laws 70 nv
thorIe them toovercharge and fleece the Puohc
in the sale Of their wares. Now, when Is 'he
best system OF proteelion to the whole people
thA' which protects them from unnecessary llNes
and bardens, aud oheapens the cost o. hEug
or that which enacls revenue laws lor toe spy.
iaI advantage OF one branch of business a. the
expense Of another aud aims 70 make me!Shah-
disc costly and the expense oi hHlng sfsa''