The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-02-14

Thursday, Febr'y ID, 1878
A BAD BILL.

The protective system of tariffs. which
robs the million Ia enrich dozen or
two manufacturers. in each branch Of
trade, has eliminated 10 a bill ia Con-
gress to impose q duty upon type OF
fifteen cents per pound. which is equiv
alent to thirty per cent ad raIorem.
This is q little the worst piece Of rob-
berry in the name of encouraging home
industry, that can be imagined. There
are eleven type foundries in the United
Ststes, employing about 700 hands at
utmost. There are not less than 10000
printers employed in the United States.
to most Of whom the value Of cheap
type is an important consideration. On
the Pacific Coast there are n0minsliy
two type fouudries. one of which is
branch Of Chicago concern and has to
send to tho parent shop for two-thirds
of the orders it receives the other 10 .
skinHint concern and was never known
to send any of its customers . full font.
relying upon that for future orders to
fill "sorts" for the fonts. We quote
fiom one Of Hon. 8. s. Cox's speeches
uron the moustrosity Of the so-cslled
protective tariff.
Protection means simply the power
TO compel the mass Of the people to
contribute to the protected classes.
bounties upon the particular articles
which they produce. through the in.
strumentslity Of . tax or duty on import.
ed articles Of the ssme description which
cone in competition with the domestic
article. II 10 robbery 10 the form Of
law. Its more insidious. more difficult
to be comprehendsd in its snormities,
and more Troublesome to resist because
il is fortified and entrsnchsd behind
the enactments Of law.
This form Of legalized robbery has
other dsfences thrown around It which
makes it more formidable and more
difficult to suppress and extirpstc. 1t
il hedgsd about with plausible and cap
tivstine names. Il elaimes to exercise
most beneficial functions. Il 10 called
.protection to American industry" and
il claims to be the great agent by
which our favored Republic 10 rendered
independent Of foreign nations. II is
my purpose to strip this system Of pro.
lection Of its disguises, expose its false
pretenses, and show it up before the
people Of this country in its Legitimate
light. shall show il to be o system
Of the most insiiious and most remorse-
less torn. of public robbery that has
ever been devised by the wit of man.
There are other catch-words used to
bolster up wrong beside "libsrty" and
humanity" "Protection" is one Of
them. Such words arc like o certain
kind Of money-we have such-when
its current value is understood no one
is deceived br it. Her5a ralcat at num-
mi. Protection. taken at its proper
reckoning, is simply unprotection. or
worse. In Tartary they have a more
polite way Of robbery. says M. Hue !;
present pistol to the traveller. call him
your dear brother, then take his coat
and horse"
This shows how desperate tho Eight
for the spoils has grown with the
national thieves. So long ~. by high
tariff on lion. tasy impsded the pro-
gress of the country by keeping pro-
hibitory tax on iron for the purpose Of
enriching some two hundred citizens of
Pennsylvania. they imposed grievous
burden on oil the people. But now
they have got down SO low as to rob
the country printers Of what they earn
10y the hardest toll. through this tax
upon type, VIC think it is time that
somebody should say word in behalf
OF the poorest paid Of all the profess
sions. Intelligence 10 not q crime !;
therefore why should this tax be ia.
posed upon . class who accomplish
more in educating the masses up to .
state OF proper intelligence than oil the
other professions combineds We say
il ID fraud and IN extortion an act
moro betting highwsymsn than states