Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-08-19
THE MONsTROsITIEs OF PROTEO.
TION,

The closer the existing tariff legisla-
tlon ia examined the more apparent aud
horrible become It's monstrOsi,ies. The
unjust ind outrageous discrimination
against the poor 10 favor of the rich IS
one OF the most odious features. and is
illustrated by y few examples Of articles
Of common consumption:
Plain bleached cotton, worth less
40 per cent, while the same OF greater
value pays but 80 per cent. the cheap
est WOODEN skirls and drawers pay 81,
while those OF better quality pay but 10
per cent. ;the cheapest wool hat is ,axed
u, 92 per cent, while the better quail
ties are adM,tted tor g. Carpets val
ued at 50 AZ per yard pay but SO per
cent, aud Brussels worth but 81 81 is
charged 68 while that worth only GO
cents per yard pays 1892 per cent The
very cheapest blanket pays 104 per
cent. while the soft and doWny ones tor
the children OF luxury pay only 76 per
cent. The farmer pays upon bis trace
chains . tax OF 1926 per cent. and
wealth gets its diamonds and canoes
tor 10 per cent the carpenter pays q
tariff OF 42 to 63 per cent. aud tho gen.
tleman OF leisure gets his rubies, pearls
and precious stones al 10 per cent. II
castor oil or epsum salts is needed y
duty OF l62 per cent. must be pad, but
the banquet table is supplied with
champagne for AZ per cent. on q win
dow I. lass SO per CENT. is exacted, but
silverware is admitted tor torty.two
per cent.
These few instances show this one
feature OF 'prutectiun::" and plainly ex.
hibits the discrim, nation made between
the rich and the poor. between nccessi.
ties and luxuries. These inequalit les,
this shameless injustice, are not mere
Oversights. They are part Of the sys
tenn aud will exist 50 long as dut ~
are not collect. Tor revenue only, Ou
tor the protection of some man . factory
or some mans furnace.
This unjust discrimination Is not the
only obnoxious fea,uie in the tariff.
Another abuse is in leyying two kinds
OF duties on tho same article-ad valO.
rem and specific. and by uniting these
duties the tariff becomes prOhibitOry and
leaves the purchaser at the absolute
mercy of tho home manufacturer. Take
Tor instance, II pair Vi blankets, the duty
specific on the manuiactur ed. aud you
have over 200. Thus no blankets are
impOrted-last year there being but
81 900 worth out OF millions used-de-
feating revenue. taxing the consumer
and benefitting no one but the NJ .nuiac-
turer. Plate glass also serves I" illus
trate: there is but one factory in the
United States. Located ut New Albany,
Indiana, yet IL duty OF 1O9 per cent. is
charged on this ltrM-aud who is pro.
tected? The working OF this specific
duty IL also illustrated in the item ot
sugar. OF which $85. .OOO. 900 worth i'm
ported, the government received 49,
600, in duties. In Cuba. from which
We get so per cent. OF all the sugar
there made. and which is very fine
quality, the rost is about 81 cents per
pound. BY placing u specla' instead OF
an All valorem duty on this item The
East India sugar. the least valuable.
pays Is per cent. aud the fne sugar
from Cuba is admitted ut 40.
But we weary in ansly z,ng the Ini-
quity. 1t compels the producing cl sses
to pay tor the luxuries Of the ri b; it
requires them 10 pay outIa age ,us price,
for The absolute necessities Oi lite; it
robs the consumer to build up the few.
And all this iur the benefit oil monopo-
lists.
How can any man vote tor Il person
Tor congress who in every way favors
protective robbery?