Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-04-04

ally need protecting in this great conn
try, are eXOtics in Il foreign soil inca
pahle OF maintaining in ind pendent ex,
i%stance and when bereft Of their arts
fetal support, they perish from II want
ct those genial conditions lonnd only
in their natural homes. AL such should
be allowed To speedily pass away, for
they are II. curse to any country. In
most cases, however, the cry tor protec>
ton cOme from industries which are
a~bunden,ly able 10 maintain themselves
against the competition of the world. and
which established themselves in the
country during times Of practical free
trade, nay. against unfriendiy legislation
of the mother country in colonial times.
The manuilctur- of pII iron, and cot
ton, and WOODEN fabrics were estab ished
over n hundred years ago and still they
cIaInor for protection rs feeble infants.
II W II hence he seen that the word
projection has been a~rtfuily used 10y
the monopolIsts, for a very sinister pnr>
pose. The word properly implies weak.
ness on the one side. and power to shield
on the other; but when those already
rich and strong, as men capable OF ems
tering into great manufactures necessar-
lily are, ask protection" and induce
Congress to force the mass OF the peo-
pie. who are Individually, relatively poor
and weak, TO afford that protection -
through the machinery of II protective
tariff, causing them 70 contribute Of
their scantv means by plyin. from 80 to
mn I,a.. .o.J .sF., t.r th. ry,, -
those wealthy manufacturers To increase
their riches, it Is such "A peryerslon of
terms that the great injustice of it all j.
liable to be overlooked by the people,
while enjoying the happy idea of being
protected, although being in fact insidi,
ousiy robbed.
Whenever proiectionists succeed, ~
they have lareIy done, in liking m,nopo-
lies upon the country. the people have -
llercnlean task to get RID OF them Tor i
attacked, no matter how Oppressive they
may be, the m%onupolists unite in n hae
ana cry that they w,ll be ruaned if the
protection be removed Supp se this
were true It Is no reason why the spe.
cial privileges and monopolies should be
continued for II it were wrons ut first,
II persistence in that wrong does not
country that justice be done even thoneh
the heavens fall. 1t il not Tor us to in
quIre whether or not ~monopuIists will
loose much or little Of their i'll gotten
gains, by deprIving o!lem Of their monopo
lies through the operation OF inst laws.
What right had congress to. ave them
the privilege at first OF levyingan annual
tax of over 800, 100000, for their sole
use, on the helpless mllilon, Of the coun.
try an unseen tax OF ever ten dollars
II mead on every man, ~womanand child
in the land besides the legitimate tax
for the support OF the government, which
they are also Obliged to pay In short,
what right has congress 10 say that one
may thrive at another expense
Turn the matter in any light, tho fact
rem ,,ns: n tariff is u tax Tariffs then
are modes of taxation, and are of two
distinct kinds; the one for revenue, the
other Tor protes tlnn so calico The one
is defensibie on tho ground that reve-
nues must be collected tc support the
government, pay its debts, ami maintain
lts credit; the other Is reprehenslble be-
cause u not only yields nuih!ng to the
pesep1e, hut diverts from it TO the peck
cts ct monopollsts, and weakens the pow
er OF the people to do business, pay their
debts, aud ENJOY themselves. Whatever
tax is paid on imported goods Is collect
ed 1T the custom houses and goes into
the national Treasury but the tax on
American manufactured articles, levied
toy a protective tariff, all goes to swell
the profits OF the domestic manufacturer
and met II cent To the revenue In both
cases, the tax Is paid by consumers; al
though some seem to think that the duty
paid on imported goods, out OF the
inrelgn manufacturer. Not 80, l0r the
importer pays the duty, who adds it Il
she original cost Of the goods and charges
the same, together with his profit to thr
iUhber, and he to the merchant nntiI
the consumer is reached, who pave the
whate including accrued charges and
profits In the case Of domestic goods
the consumer pays the Increased price
accustomed by the tax levied by the pro-
~tectise tariff, Just the same, only none
OF it goes to the revenue and all to the
mGrnpolist The one is a tax for reye'
nue., the other a tax for protection
Thus "Protection' is a cunningIy de-
vise1 scheme to transfer wealth from
those 30 whom it belongs, to those hay
ins no equitable claim to it whereby thu
rich arc made richer and the poor. poor
err; and whoever asks for Il duty on leac
as n protection 10 the iced interest, mus
be prepared to defend the whole iniqui
sous scheme OF protection.
But the government needs revenue
assi so long as it Is necessary TO ccilec
il from articles OF both foreign and hon,
praaa2tiun, lead will romain n proper