The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-03-04
Tariff Taxation.

1t would be difficult to find an exam
pie of greater duplicity than that prac-
siced by protectionists when they de-
clare that the tariff is not a tax. At the
late Manufacturers Protective Conven-
ton, held at Chicago, Mr.. G. B. Steb-
bins. of Detroit, made a declaration
which took the form of a resolution, and
was considered by the Convention. He
said:
OF all the misstatements of free-trade advo-
Gates, none is more gross than the impudent
and oft-repeated falsehood that a tariff Is q tax
added to the cost both of the imported article
and of the like article made or produced in this
country-a tax on the people for the benefit of
so-called monopolsts, etc.
Mr.. Stebbins is explicit. He says that
the tariff is not tax added to the cost
of the imported article, and that tariff
does not enable manufacturers in this
country to maintain higher prices for
their wares then would be demanded if
there were no tariff. The Galveston
NeUS, in commenting upon the remark
able statement of Mr.. Stebbins, remarks
that 'the resolution is not only conceit-
ed and arrogant, but it is a stupid re-
hash of the oft-repeated falsehood,"
that it charges the fact with being, and
fatty contradicts all the grounds on
which tariff is urged. 1t assumes that
the people are fools and easily gulled
into any false theory that is gilded with
gold; and to this extent it insults their
Intelligence, and attempts to betray
them into the condition of hewers of
wood and drawers of water to the pro-
tected manufacturers. The man or
the set of men who assert such
an absurdity, and essay to give it
currency as genuine coin among the
people who are not supposed to be ia
miliar with the subtleties of the tariff
system, are amenable to the charge of
ignorance or deception. Surely the or
gans of the manufacturers will be ac-
cepted as authority touching the real
facts. A recent number OF the Iron Age
furnishes full quotations Of the prices of
metals in England and in the United
States, and, as matter of information to
its readers, who may want the knowl-
edge in fixing their prices, it adds, in
connection with the different articles,
the rate of duty. Two or three articles
mentioned will suffice for the purposes
of this argument:
stake steel rails; its English correspondent
reports that two manufacturers have been
taking orders at &5 15s. per ton, say ISL but
most of the makers insist on f6 to f6 s. per
ton, or $50 to $31.2 The duty on steel rails is
$2S per ton. Add this, you have little less
than $50; to this must be added the cost of
| ocean freight. What was the price of steel
rails in the New York market, according to
| this same paper, at that time? Sixty dollars a
| ton. Take the case of pig-iron; the quotations
| are from the same paper. Garthsherrie is
quoted on the other side at SIS. to Cos. 3D., say
| $l3.25 to $15.l2; the duty is 81, which raises
| these amounts to $20.25 to $22.12. Then there
| is the freight to be paid, and the quotation of
| Garthsherrie in New York is SIS to 1850. The
| lowest quotations of American pig-iron were
| SCI to $21.50. Is the duty added to the foreign
price, and then is the price so arrived at the
basis on which prices for the domestic article
| are based, or not? If it is, then the tariff is 9
tax; and IL not, what do these figures meanY
1t is not required at this time to ex-
tend the argument further to prove that
tariff does Just what Mr.. Stebbins de-
clares it does not do, and the extract
given from the Iron Age so conclusiyely
contradicts Mr.. Stebbins that people OF
average understanding can not fail to
see a purpose to rob the people by pro-
cesses which are supported by falsehOod.
The tariff tax upon WOODEN goods which
the people of Indiana are required to
purchase continually is simply enor-
nous. 1t is safe to say that if the tariff
on wooden goods were reduced one-hali
the Government would receive more
revenue owing to increased importation,
while the people would be benefited by
lower prices, as the result of sharper
competition. As the case now stand;
ready-made clothing is taxed Sc pei
cent, cloths 72 per cent, and blanket:
50 per cent, and women's and chill