Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-16
A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE
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We VIII probably never have quiet
and eontentment on the tariff question
until the revision reaches and relieves
those articles Of domestic use and neces-
sity, which enter into every mans an
nual bill Of expense, to a greater degree
than now.
This is really the point Of dissatisfae-
ton and dispute. 1t is not that our in :
dustries are protected, but that the
everyday necessaries Of life are saddled
with tariff that makes living expen-
sive and burdensome to the masses Of
the people.
Until the revision reaches and re-
heves this class of articles, the laborer
for wages is made to bear the chief bur-
den Of the protection accorded his en-
ployer. The difference between the
wages of the American and European
laborer is put at 20 per cent. in favor OF
the American. IT. then, the tariff rate
ON domestic articles were fixed at an
average rate of 20 per cent. it would put
tho American laborer on an equal foot
ing with the European laborer. That
is to say, when his grocery and other
domestic bills were paid the American
would have at least as much to spare as
the European.
But the average rate fixed by the last
tariff bill is about 40 per cent, and II
this affects domestic articles equally
with other items, as IL doubtless does,
the American Labor ers' domestic bills
will be 40 per cent higher than the Eu-
ropean, and although he gets 20 per
cent higher wages, he is really 20 per
cent worse Off at the end Of the year.
A comparative view Of the difference
between the English tariff and our own,
as regards domestic articles, will show
how much more favorable to the laborer
it is than the American tariff
Englsnd's tariff applies toonly tooac-
CO, spirits, tea, wine, coffee, chicory,
cocoa and chocolate, dried fruit, and q
few other articles Of minor consequence.
From all dutiable articles the revenue
derived in 1880 amounted to 500, S03, $40,
subject to drawbacks Of less than half q
million dollars. In England sugar Is
free; here there is tax of so per cent
on every pound Of it used. England
places furniture on the free list; here it
comes in for a tax Of S5 per cent. Eng
land has no tax on carpets; here it IS
subject to q tax of from 40 to "A per
cent. The Euglishman's free list in
cludes wooden hosiery, cotton hosiery,
blankets, alpaca goods ard wooden hats;
here these neceSsaries are taxed IS, Is,
go, So and rs per cent respectively.
Now, if the American laborer will
count up at the end of the year how
much it has cost him on the articles
bought for his household on account Of
the tariff, which the English laborer
does not pay, he will find that it more
than offsets the differences Of wages in
his favor. Let him consider, for in
stance, that for every dollar he would
pay for articles, if there were no tariff,
he pays in addition the number of cents
named solely as tariff, viz:
? Pets, kettles, hollow-ware, So cents {;
copper and bronze utensils, IS cents;
earthenware and crockery, so cents;
glassware, 30 cents; table cutlery So
cents; sugar, 80 cents, vinegar, SO cents;
oranges 20 cents; rice, 100 cents; pen
knives, So cents; pins, 80 cents; needles,
% cents; mirrors, IS cents; furniture,
80 cents; linens, So cents; cotton cloth,
40 cents; fannels, blankets, hats. 75
cents; spool thread, IS cents; hose,
stockings, shirts, drawers, 40 cents;
mems clothing, 50cents; women's dress
goods, so cents; carpets, 10 cents.
We might enumerate hundreds of
other articles of domestic use as exam
pies, but these are sufficient to show the
effect. And we say it is bee lse of this
bearing of the tariff as now arranged on
the domestic purse that we have con-
tinued cutlery and conflict between two
classes of our population. 1t is entirely
possible and feasible that such revision
Of the existing tariff could be made as
to give ample protection to our manu-
factories and all our industries, while at
the same time we could obtain suffi-
cient revenue for the needs of the Gov
eminent and enable the wage worker to
live on a sum not in excess of the Euro
pean. Until such a revision is made
there will be an irrepressible conflict on
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