Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-16
BURLINGTON, Ia, Feb. 26, '83.

duties only averaged 2! per cent.
The highest duty ever known at a
Roman custom house was 12l per
cent.
In the early days of our republic
under Washington's administration,
the duties were 124 per cent. and
name much less; only one article
paid 16 per cent. This, too, with an
empty treasury, and all the debts of
the revolution to provide for.
To-day, the average duty in Eur
ope is less than 10 per cent. while
in England 934 per cent. of her en-
tire customs is collected off six ar
ticles. Her whole tariff schedule,
including less than twenty articles,
is taxed upon an average not quite
s per cent.
''Tell it not in Gath, speak it not
in the streets of Asphelon," that free
America has adopted a retrograde
policy and seeks now to initiate
heather China and Japan, rather
than the glorious nations whence
we sprang, Our congess has adopt
ed scale of duties SO high, SO ex-
tremely protective, that in many in
stances they greatly diminish reve-
nue., and in others entirely prohibit
importation. Thus upon such ar
ticle, the government, of course, ceas
es to receive any revenue. The ex-
cessive duty is added TO the price of
the domestic article and goes into
the pocket of the manufacturer, the
absolute wants of the people COM
| polling them to buy at any price.
Blankets are of universal use, and
the duty on them is from IS to 1O4
per cent. Flannels, worn III some
form by nearly of every race, sex
and condition, pay a duty ranging
from So to 100 per cent, which is
prohibitory. So of wooden hats that
are in general use-the tax on them
is 50 high as to prevent their impor-
tation; but, rs in all such cases, the
duty is added to the price of the ar
ticle and goes into the Golfers of the
manufacturer. Odious and cruel,
the present tariff is levelled with I'M
erring precision at labor and poverty
and seeks to favor luxury and
wealth. Thus the duty on hats is
g. per cent. while on silks it is but
GO per cent. Salt, that article of first
necessity to man and beast, is taxed
| 20 per cent. and diamonds only 10
per cent Trace chains are taxed 5G
per cent. while treble ingram car
pets pay but 80 per cent. Brussels
carpets are taxed 6S per cent. and
coarse blankets 104 per cent; fine
wooden rugs for the lady's parlor and
covers to keep the dust and moisture
from the piano are taxed 40 per
cent. while tlannels to keep the baby
warm, to protect the shivering inva-
lid, the working man and his wife
and aged people alike from the
freezing blasts of winter are taxed
100 per cent; plain, unbleached cot
ton cloth for shirts and other gar
ments worn by the laboring masses
of both sexes, is taxed 40 per cent
and the window glass in their hous-
es g. per cent. Stone proclaim
war the rich mans table is taxed
only 45 per cent, and artificial flow
ers and feathers for the adornment
of his wife and daughters pay only
so per cent, and such instances
could be multiplied into hundreds.
In the truthful and pungent Ian.
guage of another: "We are taxed
upon every article which enters the
mouth, or covers the back or is
placed under the feet. Taxed upon
everything which it is pleasant to
see, hear, feel, smell or taste. Taxed
upon warmth, light and locomotion
Taxed on everything on the earth
and the waters under the earth; on
everything that comes from abroad
or is grown at home; taxed on the
raw material; taxed on every fresh
value that's added to it by the indus
try 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. Al
bed or board, standing or lying, we
must pay. The sehoolboy on hi.
, top, the farmer on his gearing with
which to manage his horse, and up
on all he implements of industry
: purchased at the store of the manu-
! facturer.
The dying American swallows hi
last medicine, upon which he ha.
paid from 80 to go per cent. Hi
burial clothes are taxed from so t,
100 per cent, the grave is dug with
E spade taxed 60 per cent, and his las
!. resting place marked, if at all, by
! marble taxed from 43 10 125 pc
. cent.
j The fiippant argument for Thu
: criminal taxation of people is tina
it encourages our ''infant' man
+ ufactures and that without them
nation can never be strong and in
dependent. No one looks with NOR,
friendship and favor than 1 do Il
the building up of manufactures il
our midst, and / wish them tn,
= greatest success. / maintain, how
ever, that when demanded by tn,
necessities of the nl1blic they will nj