, 1873-08-15

Tho Paper Tratle Reporter, tho organ OF tho
paper manufacturers Of tho United stntcs, haa
an elaborate article On tho tariff question Is mp
piled to TINT branch OF American industry, show
ing that in order to "ovon up" the paper in
forest to that Of tho other protected TRADES, the
duty on foreign paper should DO raised to 40 por
cent. Tho proHont duty is % per cont aud un-
der this inadequate duty tho Reporter tolls us
that millions of coplos Of tho Now York Tribune,
filled with protoctionHt argumonts, aro scat
tered over tho country printed Oh papor I'M
ported from Bolgiuml This is certainly griey-
ance. Tho drift Of tho Reporters article,
however, is not in the direction Of hghor
protective system. It gays:
Legislation Of compromises md scnsimont and co.
called reciprocal hcnunts and favors Ia unsound,
Vicious, partial, nud natural consequence always
corrupt and tyrannical. II all insorcata equally
helped, they all might jus vol not bo helped at n,
for In sising down to plny game with countors 1t
mikes no difference whether they hre valuable or
worthless 20 long al arc helped ako II nll tho in
tecosa OF natiou mako doubo profits, tic oIeot ia
precisely tho same II nil mAdo half profit. II VIC
mike nnd only iron, Rugar, wool, -four, md paper
at cent pound and there would not DO the slightest
gain In raising them al! to hundred dollurs pound
Hut tho legislation TINT processes to look nfter tho vol
fare Of all interests iB always engineered by sjorioa
aud thoao maJorittoe arc always Oh tho ale Of tho
stronger interests therefore the stronger interest
ia tho moro laws aro cuactod In Its favor aud tho
weaker It Ia tho 1t Ia oppressed and this Is OBJ
yous, proceeding from tho law TINT invariably
abuse powcr, and especially power for whose abuse
thoy cannot 10 hold accountable that 1t IL continual
wonder to thinking mon that tho protenso Of trndo
philanthropy md benevolenco or OF tho mutual con-
servaton Of sntoresa, should be allowed to enter
Legislative bodies whore M irresponsible majority
must necessarily rule, and in tho process Of cnss leg
iasiou dcatroy interest for the benefit Of another
Tho dutics which really oppress the paper
manufacturer, taxing tho articles which he has
to uao, arc thaao:
Alum, taxed 60 cents por 100 pounds, equals 80 rnr
cent gold, noarly 35 por cont currency upon foreign
cost.
Birthstone in rolls, $40 per ton, gold. Eouco, a!-
plurio ncd coss the American papor-maker * centa
per pound tho Eugislian gets 1t for cont dlfTer
euco, 175 per cent.
Cauatio soda, ~ cens por pound, gold; rs por cont
Clay, $3.50 Per ton difference, 10 per cent
Boda ash, cent per pound. go1d difference, 10 per
cont
Wire CLOTH 31x per cont iron, from 15oo cents por
100 pounds to 31M por cent: averages, IS per cent.
Falts, deckcls. otc., average. 60 per cent.
| F3brcs 10 per cent.
| Tho Reporter thinks that the newspapers Of
tho United States arc In conspiracy against tho
papor mills, and that they will oppose evory
measure for their roliol. On the contrary, We
think that the newspapers generally will advo-
cato tho complete abolition of every ono Of these
nasty, ricaynuo duties, tho relics of n son,-bar-
barous systom Of taxation. THE CHICAGO TnrB-
unE haa repeatedly advocated their repeal, md
so havo most Of the leading journala Of the West.
| Tho only reason why thoy haven't beon repealed
| is TINT tho papor-nanufacturora themselves
wouldn't help. Thoy wero Wooded to the pro-
tcctiye systom. which, aa tho Reporter shows, ia
shedding thoir blood day by day. If they will
now tako hold and holp, We promise that the
press will not DO backward in urging tho repeal
| Of all tho taxos on knowledge.