Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-01
A Tariff Catechism.

md one of the ablest Presbyterian ministers
n the country, has prepared a "tarln
y which we give below, which
,hould be studied by the people generally.
The answers to the questions given are PLAIN
md to the point:
Question: What is the chiefend OF our
tariff?
Answer.-To put money into the pocke'S
of our manufacturers.
2. What is tariff?
It is tax.
3. Who pays the tax
The consumers.
4. Who are the consumers?
All the people, but chiefly the poor,
5. For whose benefit is this tax laid
For the benefit of the manufacturers
6. Who are the manufacturers
Moneyed men and capitalists. 49,,
Z. Are they large or small part OF tne
population?
A very small part of the people,
8. Are they the rich o. the poor?
Most generally the rich.
8. How is it that so few persons can geta
tax put on SO many?
Because, as a general thing, they form
corporations.
10. Of whom are corporations generally
made up?
Corporations are for the most part mace
up of the rich for the purpose OF making
themselves richer.
IL. What do such corporations tend to be-
come?
Monopolies.
10. What are monopolies?
Monopolies or rings are men who combine
to fix the price of goods, the rate OF wages
and to forestall the market.
IS. Isn't forestalling wrong and uniaw-
full?
Yes: forestalling is unlawful,
: IL Why doesn't the law punish such men
and abolish rings, etc.?
r Because most people don't understand
that the tariff may become, in our country, .
> series of monopolies and rings.
| 15, Why don't Americans believe that oul
tariffs huge ring?
The people don't believe it because thell
preiudices are excited by such eateh-Ford
as SFree Trade" s'British Gold )" "Ameri
: can Industries CLONE Productions" ant
. because they think that the tariff raise
wages and helps to pay the public debt.
16 Does the tariff protect the laborer, o
" HELM to pay off the public debt?
30. a tariff, by making foreign good
lhigher keeps thel opt of the country, AM
0 gives our manniact4regs chance to sci
their goods at higher price.
v II. Isn't 1t an advantage to get highe
price for our goods?
n Yes, it is an advantage to the manufae
turer, but it is no advantage to the poo
|, laboring man. The money is taken out o
the poor man pocket and put into the rio
mans pocket-book. In this way the ricl
y become richer and the poor become poorer
Il IS. But doesn't the tariff go into the Uni
ted States treasury and help to carry on thi
government and pay the debtf
y Yes; some OF it goes into tho nationa
L treasury.
& 10. Doesn't the whole tariff go into trea
/ sury?
u No; only that which is paid on foreig
d goods. If the tariff is SO high as to shut gu
d all foreign goods then no tariff money goe
If into the United States treasury. The high
l. er the tariff the less money the United State
gets, and the more the manufacturer gets.
1T 20. Where does the tariff money go tia
IS does not go into the treasury?
y All the money that does not go into tn
1 treasury goes into the pockets of the manu-
faetuFees.
: 81. But il the manufacturer gets all thl
k money, doesn't he divide with his employees
9r Yes: sometimes he does. Fhe law oblige
re me to pay the tariff but doesn't oblige th
If manufacturer to divide his profits with th
N workmen-and he doesn't do it, or the en-
" ployes would not SO often go on a strike.
70 20. Don't the manufacturers say that the
it don't want the tariff for themselves, but fl
n their workmen?
Of Yes; that 10 what they say, but at tl
il same time they are always talking about tn
st 1sPauper labor of Europe" they age usin
t, every chance to introduce this foreign pa,
ID per into the place of the American worl
a. man.
" 3d. Don't the manufacturers want mig
re tariff for the good of their country?
IS Yes; we suppose some of them do, bl
le we don't think the manufacturers love til
N country so much more than the rest of l
IN do.
c. a. If protection;sts don't want a tariff ft
he the good of their wori1nef nor because {
c. their great love for their country, nor ft
10 revenue purposes, what dossthey want it fol
They want it for themselves.
Of %. What kind of tax then, is the presen
t. protectionist's tariff
ii 1t is the old war tax in time of peace;
is tax on the many for the benefit OF til
lie few; it is tax ON the poor for the benef
at of the rich; it is Q partnership between til
e government and the malufacturer, for th
n benefit of the manufacturer.
k 26. Would you have no tariff?
ly would have constitutional tariff fo
re revenue.
t. 81. On what should we lay such tariff
+, We should lay our tariff on luxurie.
j. wines, silks, jewels, etc.; on what everybod
at wants, but nobody must have.-Qainc
lie Journal.