Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-01-31
THE NEW TARIFF HILL.

Inc ouo-Committee Of the COMMIT
tee on Ways and Means OF the House Of
Representatives. has completed the
tariff bill. and this morning II Was given
to the country through the columns OF
the press. The object in thus making
IL public before its formal presentation
TO the House. Is to draw forth the SEN
timent Of the nation In regard to its
provisions. and give opportunity for
ample discussion before 1t is called for
action in Congress. This is q wise move
ON the part Of the committee. since
every man, woman and child Is inter
ssted In the tariff laws Of the country.
According as the tariff upon imported
articles Is high or low, the luIuries and
many Of the nscessariss OF life from
foreign countries viii be dear or cheap,
and ii must never be forgotten that the
importing merchant acts simply as q
middlsma,. paying the tax temporarily.
but eventually taking IL from his pur-
chasing customer. All taxes in the end
come from the masses Of the people and
not from the merchant prince. In
short. IL 10 labor. and not capital. which
Is taxed to support the Government.
This being the case every laboring
man-and by laboing men we include
all who work for q living in any branch
Of human industry-has a direct In.
tersst in any tariff bill which Is brought
before Congress for consideration. The
country is divided on the question OF
tariff to-day more completely than II
has been for several years past. Indeed.
next to the demonstration Of silver. tho
tariff Is the most important OF the many
problems presented for this nation to
solve during the present year. Whether
il is the part Of wisdom to protect our
home industries by the imposition Of n
high tar on imported goods. or. by the
institution OF a low tariff. throw them
open to the competition Of the entire
world. Is q question which has puzzled
our statesmen and inanciers In the past.
and bids fair to prove q fruitful source
Of trouble for many years to come. l,
is . question which every intelligent
citizen and voter should study con.
scieu,iously. as in all probability II
will form one Of the most important
issues in the next political campaign.
There are many and strong arguments
for and against. both the Protective and
Free Trade theories. The great argu-
ment against Protection is. that thero
are many articles which we cannot pro-
duce. and yet need, which would b.
driven from US by n high Protective
tariff. since II would not pay to import
them. except in assorted eargoes OF gen.
sral merchandise. On tho other hand.
Free Trade. in its broadcast sense might
bring foreign countries into such eager
and energetic competition with our own
home producers. that NO could not hold
our own, and our internal industries
would suffer. The English mechanic
thinks himself m~agnihcently paid. II he
receives a pound sterling "a Si) a
week for his skill and labor. and unless
the tariff ON the product Of his hands Is
high enough to cover tho difference In
the wages paid in England and America.
II Is evident that al importer Of English
made goods can undersell cur home
producer. And the moment this occurs,
the American manufacturer must reduce
the wages paid to his worknien. IT 60 to
the wall altogether.
The majority Of the present House OF
Representatives lean toward the theory
Of Free Trade. while the majority Of the
Senate are supposed to be Protection
lists. The new Tariff hill now before
the people. and oon to be discussed in
Congress. is one step toward free trade.
but not so great q one that il need
any alarm for the safety Of u home
industries. A slight reduction. averag-
ing about twenty per cent. from the rate
which has hitherto prevailed, Is made in
the taxes Of all dutiable articles. This
is not enough to place the manufacture
srs and ~workingmen OF this country at a
very great disadvantage. Foreign-mads
goods can DO sold. II the bill passes. ut
. little less than they can DO purchased
now. but the difference will be so slight
that IL will scarcely be noticed. II will
force eur manufacturers TO reduce their
prices on homemade goods. but not
enough to furnish them with a preteIt
for reducing wages. SO that the bill. II
ii becomes q law. will really benefit the
poor purchaser. while II will only injurc
the capitalist by taking u small per cent
age from his profits.
The bill, while II reduces taxation.
also reduces the cost Of collecting the
import taxes some 81. 250. 900. and ii is
claimed by its originators that II will In
crease the revenue from imports from
si3s. 600. 900. which has been collected
for the past six years, to S15i. 9iG, 900.
The new bill will have many friends, and
make many enemies. When II comes
before Congress we shall probably be
treated to q discussion which will flood
the country with abstruse documents,
and elaborate speeches. Tho debate
will Be q long one. and in all probability
the bill. a. passed. will be no amended
and changed as to DO scarcely recognize
able.
APOSTLE ERAsrrs Snow has given
solemn assurance that the Divorce laws