The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-18
THE TARIFF AND ITS CONTRADICTIONS

The present tariff specifies $40 dutia.
Crul of these, less than a dollar of duty
Gas sulphate of copper so cents was col
lected in lSSl-S2. On twenty of them,
the total duty in 1881 50 WAS but $40 "a
for all. Ii costs to collect such duties,
in extra salaries and expenses, many
times the return. The custom officers
employed are withdrawn from productive
work, which makes the country rich, and
paid out of the pockets of the people, 10
increased taxes which makes the country
poor.
Since 1899, there have been more than
40 changes OF the tariff Each of these
has derauged industry From 1899, when
the tariff averaged 81 per cent, seventeen
different acts steadily raised duties,
up to 1916, when decrease was
provided for, only to be deferred in 1918
to 1926 when the great tariff raised
the average TO 81 per cent. In 1898, the
compromise reduced duties, but in
1912 they were increased again, as nos
irum against the initiation that produced
the crisis of 1881 In 1915 and in 1857.
legislation favored reduction; but in 1850
the wa tariff began, of which. despite
reductions in 1870 and 1872 replaced by
the little tariff bilr' of lS14.75, with an
average Of 43 per cent, the country re-
manned the victim for over twenty years
The reformed tariff bill of 1898 is II
sham, raising some duties (iron ore so
per cent?, maintaining by confused Chassis
iicalon others it pretended 10 reduce. Its
average reduction is under . per cent.
These forty changes have produced unN
certainty, speculation, waste, loss
The tariff does not tax 'luxuries, so
much rs It taxes nccessaries. In 1881 >,
The actual duty paid lod Sdiorsm and spe-
cilcl was on blankets. 20 to 9j per cent,
llannols 1886; other wooden goods 10
81. calicocs and other cottons, j5-G3
spool thread. $3.50 window glass, 59.s4
steel rails. 80; iron, 1890, salt, 1866
The government does not receive the
benefit of these duties The duty on
blankets (l0 to IS cents per pound and
30 per cent nj gaioreaJ is practically pro
hibliyc. Thus, in lSSl,2, but IS, SS7 of
blankets were imported, on which the
duty was SG. sGl, an average of ~ per
cent. Yet the country uses 100000, 900
of blankets each year The tax imposed
simply provides an enormous margin, out
of which the dozen manufacturers may
take their profit On wooden goods in
general it is calculated that the govern
ment gets but enc dollar for every FIVE
squeezed out Of the people for the mo-
nopoists.
il is said that without the tariff we
could not raise revenue, or pay interest
on the debt Yet in 1881 the protection
lists met in conventions to oppose further
payment of the debt, and cried out for
the abolition of the whisky tax, lest no
excuse should remain for high tariff
But protective" tariff does not pre-
duce revenue. 1t is intended to keep
foreign goods out; if they are kept out,
they pay no revenue. A tariff for rev
enue only is the contrary of ''protec-
tive tariff; il is intended to provide
funds for the government without taxing
the people for the benefit of monopolists
A fair duty on dozen articles, easy anC
cheap to collect, would give more revenue
than the present tariff. STILL fewer
would give all the revenue we need.
Thus our tariff is contradictory ant
absurd, because it D is wasteful, (2) il
unstable, (3) robs the poor man, a. en-
riches only the monopolist, (5) cheat
the government. 1t is an Insult to Amer
lean intelligence.