The Rock Island Argus., 1883-03-30
A VETERAN.
Gen. A. C. Dodge, of Burlington, on the
Tariff.
A Stirring Letter from the Old War
HerSe.
Filled with Fresh and Striking Facts
for Future Reference.

A0A
The following letter, which recently
appeared in the Iowa State Leader, is full
of thought for tariff thinkers, and should
be read carefully by the readers of the
ARGUS Here it is
BURLINGTON, IaS, Feb. 26, 1888.
Henry j. Pl5lpott, Esq, see'y Of tie Ioeoa
State Free Trade league. Des hoiaes,
Iona.
DEAR SIR: 1t is with much more than
ordinary pleasure that | acknowledge the
receipt of your letter exposing the plans
and purposes of your organization. en-
close the admission fee and beg to become
member of your league. In an especial
manner do I thank you and the able and
spirited conductors of the Leader for the
fearless and aggressive fight you are
waging against the enormity of the pres
ent tariff.
The language and sentiments expressed
in your platform of principles commend
themselves to my heart and judgment,
and | bid you and the Leader Godspeed
in the noble work in which you are en-
gagged.
The word tariff had its origin in piracy
and robbery, and id its practical operation
on the interests of mankind it has lost
none of its original significance. Going
through its long and heart sickening
schedule I find that the average rate OF
duty under our existing tariff, is the
highest ever known among civilized ma
tions ancient or modern. 1t embraces
within its fell swoop between two and
three thousand articles. with an average
duty of more than 45 per cent, gold.
The trct of 1928, mathematical eas the
tariff of denominations. only imposed a
duty Of about 40 per cent, yet it caused
grass to grew iii the streets of many OF
our cities.
In Greece the average duties upon i'm
ports was % per cent on her own citizens,
and but 8 per cent upon her subject
allies
In Rome for thousand years such
duty only averaged q per cent. The
highest duty ever known at a Roman
custom house was 12f per cent.
In the early days of our republic, under
Washington's administration the duties
were 123 per cent, and many much less
Only one article paid 10 per cent. This,
too, with an empty treasury, and all the
debts of the revolution TO provide for.s.
10 ltiC A@NAOPO -
less than 10 per cent, while in England
934 rer cent of her entire customs is col
lected off six articles Her whole tariff
schedule, including less than twenty arti-
cles. is taxed on an average of not quite
s per cent.
Tell it not IN Gath, speak 1t not In
the streets of Asphelion. that free Amer
ica has adopted retrograde policy, and
seeks now to initiate heather China and
Japan, rather than the glorious nations
whence we spang. Our congress has a
scale on duties so high, so extremely pro
tective, that in many instances they great
ly diminish revenue, and in others entirely
prohibit revenue. The excessive duty is
added to the price of the domestic article,
and goes into the pocket of the manu-
facturer the absolute wants of the people
compelling them to buy at any price.
Blankets are of universal use, and the
duty on them is from IS to t04 per cent.
Flannels, worn in some form by nearly
all of every age, sex and condition, pay a
duty ranging from SO TO 100 per cent,
which is prohibitory. So of woolen hats
that are in general use-the tax on them
is so high as to prevent their importation;
but. as in all such cases, the duty is added
to the price of the article. and goes into
the Golfers of the manufacturer. Odious
and cruel, the present tariff is leveled
with unerring precision at labor and pow
erty, and seeks to favor luxury and
wealth. Thus the duty on hats is 81 per
cent, while on silks 1t is but 60 per cent.
Salt, that article of first necessity to man
and beast, is taxed 10 per cent,
and diamonds only 10 per cent.
Trace chains are taxed 56 per
INt7f
so per cent Brussels carpets are taxed
6S per cent and coarse blankets 104 per
cent; fine wooden rugs for the lady's
parlors and covers to keep the dust and
moisture from the piano arc taxed 40 per
cent, while flannels to keep the baby
warm, to protect the shiverng invalid,
the working man and his wife and aged
people alike from the freezing blasts of
winter are taxed 100 per cent; plain, un-
bleached cotton cloth for shirts and other
garments worn by the laboring masses of
both sexes, is taxed 40 per cent and the
window glass in their house 81 per cent.
Stone porcelain ware for the rich man.
table isztaxed only 45 per cent. and arti-
fetal flowers and feathers for the adorn-
ment of his wife and daughters pay only
so per cent, and such instances could be
multiplied into hundreds.
In the truthful and pungent language
of another: I'VE are taxed upon every
article which enters the mouth, or GOV
erszthe back or is placed under the feet.
Taxed upon everything which it is plea
SAINT to see, hear, feel, smell or taste.
Taxed upon warmth light and locomo-
ton. Taxed on everything on the earth
aud the waters under the earth; on every
thing that comes from abroad or is grown
at home. Taxed on the raw material;
taxed on every fresh value that is added
to ii by the industry of man. Taxed on
the sauce that pampers a mans appetite
and the drug which restores him to
health on the ermine which decorates the
Judge and the rope which hangs the
criminal; on the ribbons of the bride and
the brass nails of the coffin. At bed or
board, standing or lying, we must pay.
The schoolboy on his top, the farmer on
the gearing with which he manages his
horse, and upon all the implements of in
dustry purchased at the store or of the
manufacturer.
The dying American swallows his last
medicine, upon. which he has paid from
80 to 220 per cent His burial clothes
are taxed from so to 100 per cent, the
grave is dug with spade taxed 60 per
cent, and his last resting place marked, if
at all, by marble taxed from 43 to 125
per cent.
The hippant argument for this criminal
taxation of the people is that it encour-
ages our ''infant" manufactures and that
al I,