The daily gazette., 1876-02-08
From the N. Y. Word
THE TARIFF.

swindle s1d endorse the changes pro-
posed in his new bill despite the
Herald's wounded pride in their be-
half. On flannel that costs under 40
cents pound We exact q variable
duty of 20 cents per pound and 35 per
cent. ad valorem, which amounted on
$42 worth OF flannel imported, to a
revenue of S32, or 70 per cent. On
the other nannels, except the finest,
that cost over 80 cents per pound, we
charged a duty reckoned ad valorem
of S5 per cent. and SO per cent, re-
spectively, and we get duties In one
case of $l9 and in the ether of $23. In
other words, our tariff emphatically
prohibits the cheaper and coarscr
tlannels used by the great family Of
the unaoashed. But on the finer flannel
which costs over 80 cents-in fact, 1t
may even cost 81 pound-rour duty
is so cents pound and 35 per cent, i,
and was on the imported flannel of this
latter class in 1874 only SO per cent.
ad valorem, and we imported some
$22, COO worth and got $13, ,924 revenue.
Now, let us ask the Tootses who say
the tariff is not live issue, whether it
be not at least an impudent piece Of
chicanery, that a few pious woollen
manufacturers can by law prohibit
the cheap and coarse clothing for a
poor mechanic to be imported? Is it
not swindle that the millionaire who
can and will have the fine 'tW elsh fan
mel should actually get it 20 or 80 per
cent. cheaper in duty than the laborer
who earns but $40 a week. Again, it
may not be SO well known that our do.
nestle woods are of all woods in the
world best adapted to making fan
jnels and blankets. These manufac.
fturers, therefore, have the best raw
material cheaper here than their rivals
abroad. And yet I'VE fird that they
have actually, by a swindling tariff
law, prohibited foreign competition,
and are plundering a whole nation in
the two articles of fiannels and blan-
kets over $40, 900, 900 per annum, under
the pretense that it is to give the
Treasury $1S, 600 revenue from both.
But, says Toots, it's of no consequence.
Woollen Hosiery On the irst three
items of the cheapest kind, such as is
used by hard-working laborers, both
men and women, the Custom House
tax is respectively 9S per cent, SS per
cent. and SO per cent, and we collect a
revenue of less than $3.50 therefrom.
But on the woollen hosiery that cost
over 80 cents pound lin 1874 all i'm
lported cost over 81 per pound) - on
this rich hosiery used by the wealthy
classes, the duty was 55 per cent, or
an average of 40 per cent. less than
the duty on the coarse or 10 y grade
woollen hosiery, and we actually COL
lected a revenue of $258,548 Now,
the secret of this is as follows: To
manufacture very fine hosiery, fine
Iouality of fine-spuu woollen yarn is
necessary. This yarn, as will be seen,
is subject TO duty of rs per cent,
and 55 per cent. on fine-made hosiery
is therefore no projections; hence the
lime hosiery is imported. But the
coarse hosiery is made of our own
wool and home-spun yarn, and, in
fact, needs no protection; hence a
duty of %, SO and SO per cent, is put
on coarse hosiery, which prohibits our
impertations. Besides, it is rule
well.known to tariff knaves and horse
leeches, that there is always more
blood to be sucked out of the plebeian
many than from the richer few. OF
the finest woollen hosiery there is less
than 81 200, 900 consumed annually
But the forty millions of hard workers
in the land consume more than $40,
0C0, 600 annually of coarse and cheap
woollen hosiery, and by hosiery must
he understood all woollcn articles
that are knitted.
Bunting. = Marlborough was re-
warded for his victories by a grateful
nation with a dukedom, lots of cash
Wellington likewise got cash, plate,
town houses and several estates. So
the United States, in order to show its
gratitude to General Butler and give
him substantial reward for his vic.
tories, particularly for the exploit be-
fore Fort Fisher, made that hero and
statesman the custodian of our flag
The story is short and Instructive =
Flags are made of bunting. General
Butler is chief owner of the great
bunting factory in Massachusetts,
To him was granted a royalty of 104t
per cent. for producing bunting; or in
other words, if you import bunting
you have to pay 104t per cent. to
Government. But in order that you
may not import too much the General
sells his bunting somewhat cheaper,
say at only 100 tax, as mark of pa
triotic duty to his and the whole
country's ''dear" flag
Woollen Ydrns.-This article is only
a repetition of the foregoing swindles.
1t will be seen that the coarser and
cheaper yarns are taxed at 95, SO and
01 per cent, and produce some $3,-
40. OF course, these yarns are spun
mostly at home out of our own wool,
But there are fine yarns used for fine
cloths, cassimeres and fine woollen
fabrics, as a mixture with our own
coarser yarns, and these pay rs per
cent. duty, or an average of 10 per
cent. less than tho coarser yarns, and
from this source we got nearly $3.50, 900
revenue, simply because our own
manufacturers cannot do without
them. But there is not the least doubt,
if the above woollens were reduced to
duty of 25 per cent, that we should
get instead OF $500, 600 revenue, at least
81, 900, 900 or Sc, ,000,0 and it would
caua fN the oA,a,,,aro IN g00 NNl no