, 1873-06-02
WHAT MONopOL1Es COST,

WHAT MONop0L1Es COST.
In consequence Of tho Protective systom,
tho farmer receives loss than lle otherwise would
for what he solla, and pays moro than llc other
wise would for the manu- featured artlolcB which
ho buys and conaumcs. Ho is therefore doubly
taxed, and, excepting tho sum which ho may pny
In duties upon nrtlcloa actually imported and
consumed by him, not ono dollar Of eithor tax
goes into tho public Treasury. Gould tho
amount Of these taxes be exactly nscortained,
such q public indignation would DO rousod
against them that they could no longer DO main-
tanned. But tho advocates Of monopoly rejoioo
in tho fact that it is extremely difficult to trace
tho consumption Of products to tho individual
consumer; that the amount Of products Of each
manufacture is imporfoct1y known, and tho cost
Of such products, as compared with tho nat
ural cost, or tho cost under system
Of lowor duties, has boon and may be tho sub
jeot Of unlimited Justification and that tho
product Of some Of tho most important manu-
facturcs do not appear, at first glanco to bo
consumed or paid for by tho farmera at all.
Take tho iron manufacture, for example: "A
very large proportion Of it's product is used in
railwuye and tho corporations, md not indi-
yidualH, appear to bo tho connumera. Yet the
people who uso railways, either for travel or for
shipment Of goods, have to pay for tho iron, M
for every other clement In tho cost of building
and maintaining them. The farmer who ships
wheat or cattle, and pays in freight d little moro
than lie would pay If the railroads had coat loes,
ia an aotual consumer Of tho iron used. aud iB
paying for 1t In tho increase Of freight, or
tho decreased price of Ills products which
the highor freight necosstatea. Not tho
loss, when he buys any implement or machine
and finds its cost enhanced, is ho PAYING first, d
tax upon tho iron consumed in tho making OF
that Implement or machine, and second, u ta1
upon tho iron used III transporting it from tho
factory to his farm. A largo quantity Of iron is
used in tho building OF vessels md their en-
ginoB; he whose freight pays for tho running Of
such vessels is tho real consumor, and has to pay
for that iron also. A large quantity is used in
buildings in our citioa; tho coat appears next in
the rent Of stores, and Offices and warehouses;,
and uoxt in tho commissions and chargos Of
merchants ana shippers who occupy those build
ings, and next in tho cost Of all exchange Of
products which pass through thoir hands, and,
finally, in tho prico Of tho products which
the farmer soils and Of tho goods which ho
buys. Thus all burdens are distributed. That
industry which supports tho largest number Of
! porsong pays the largest share Of all burdens
imposed upon tho community OF which they
| form part.
Tho unusually accurate enumeration Of males
| engaged in gainful occupations, obtained at tho
census Of 1870, affords opportunity to ASCERTAIN
what proportion OF all consumers are dependent
upon eaoh industry. OF 10,060, ,635 malcH 90 en-
ployed, 6,625, sos were engaged in agriculture, or
81 $40 OF the whole number. In manufactures
Of all kinds wero employed 1850, All, or 20 per
| cent; in professional md personal sorvicoH,
1,618, ,121, Or IL lilo per cent; and In trado and
transportation, 1,172,5io, or II por cent. It ap-
pears, thon, TINT about "a por cont of the
ontire population must DO dependent upon per-
sons engaged in agriculture.
Tho cenBus also informB us what va1no Of man
factured products, not imported, was consumed
by our own pooplo or exported. In 1870, tue
yaluo Of manufactured products was "a, 1888, ,000,-
600 In currency the yaluo Of such products
exported Qncluding potroloum) waa about &c.
1000; thero romninH, therefore, for consump-
ton by our own people, 81, ,207 600 900 in ourron.
cy value Of products not imported, but Of our
own manufasturo. Persons dependent upon ag.
rIcultura boing "a per cont OF tho whole body OF
consumers, their sbaro OF tho yaluo consumed Ia
%, 187, ,0a0,0 300, or about $30o00 for every malo
porson employed In agriculture -aupposlng. Of
course, that tho ma1os thns employed must pro.
yldo by thoir industry for tho consumption OF
those depondent upon them.
Nov, tho entire valuo Of tall products OF
farms, including bottermonta and additions to
Stock" according to tho Haino census waa
"a, 2,447, ,6a8, ,058, 10 that, aftor paying for thois
sharo OF manufactured products consumed, tue
entiro body OF farmers will hhyo loft au roturn
for q years. labor, about e2o8,B9o, ,o00, or only
e40 to each malo person 40 employed
not very extensive remuneration for q
ycar'a work. But tho farmer has siill another
| expeuse-hls share Of tho consumption Of lm-