Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-01-19
The Swindling Tariff.

One of the most interesting signs Of
the times is that the people have con.
cluded that they will no longer be
swindled by tariff maze in the interest
of monopolists. The people of the
United States are willing to be honestly
and justly taxed for the support of the
Government, but they are not willing to
be taxed for the further enrichment OF
monopolists, and protectonists begin to
comprehend the fact, and will put forth
their mightiest energies to retain their
hold upon the hard earnings of the peo-
pie. Money will flow like water. Rep
resentatives of all the monopolies will be
in Washington to resist, atwhatever cost
may be required, the passage of just
tariff laws. At the recent Tariff Con-
vention in New York a monopolist by
the name of Ricketson became so over
whelmed with the protection idea, it
foreshadowed such princely fortunes to
the favored few, such boundless luxuries
and palatial residences, purple and fine
linen, diamonds and delights, that he
broke forth as follows:
From Hampshires icy mountains,
From Florida's coral strand,
To where the Rocky ranges
Roll adown their sand,
: Protection! Oh, protection!
The joyful sound proclaim
Till each remotest section
Has learned the tariff s name.
But, says the Buffalo Express Rep.),
''the people do not worship protection
as an everlasting principle. They do
not regard it as fetch. Reasonable
men will not assemble merely to hear it
preached and its praises sung, and they
will have very little respect for those
who do. It is purely business ques-
ton and should not be treated in rhym-
ing verses, but in the light of facts and
figures. When duty is placed on any
important article it should be placed
there because the prosperity Of the
country will be increased by it, and it
should be no higher and no lower than
all the facts in the case warrant. It is a
question for economists, not for poll
ticians and song makers. 1t is possible
that if this had been thought of before
the New York Convention was called
it would never have been called at all
1t is well said that the people do not wor-
ship protection, and tariff framed like
the present for spoils will not be toler-
ated. In the State of Indiana the esti-
mate is that there are now 100000
houses. The further estimate is that
the annual increase of houses is equal
to five per cent. of the entire number,
and that the wear and tear of houses is
equal to five per cent. year. Leaving
out of the calculation the estimate of
rebuilding worn out houses, and assum-
ing that the entire number of houses
built each year is equivalent to five per
cent. of the 10000 houses already built,
we have the fact that $4,000 houses
have been erected in Indiana
during the past year. 1t will be
by all that it is important
to the prosperity of Indiana that houses,
the homes Of our people, should be taxed
as lightly as possible. The cost OF
house is taken into consideration when
the price of rent is under consideration,
and hence, every renter in the State has
a direct interest in the cost of building
mechanic, the day laborer--
in fact all who pay rent With this
statement of the case we proceed to con-
slider the tariff articles that enter
into the construction of the houses in