The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-29


In The CLARION of the 9Th inst, In
referring to the Republican scheme to
repeal or reduce the tax on sugar and
molasses, we spoke as follows:
The tax on sugar and molaases il a rev.
enHe tax, strictly speaking. It yields the
Government annually some $4,000. 600.
III all or large part of the sugar and mo-
lasses consumed in the United States were
produced here, ii might with Justice be
said that the people were being compelled
to pay into the treasury this vast sum Tor
the benefit OF the producer but since less
than one-seventh of the amount consumed
is produced in the United States, all the
revenue derived from the six-sevenths pro-
duced abroad and imported il raised from
revenue and not protective tax. The
case would be different If six-sevenths of
the amount consumed were produced in
the United States, and one-seventh i'm =
ported. In that event the tax would
not be revenue tax, but protective tax.
The Louisville Courier-JourradL having
made substantially similar announce
ment, was asked by the benighted edi-
tor of the Dayton (Ohio) Journal, to tell
how it happens that the sugar planters
are protected only $4,000 out of the
duties levied on sugar" In its reply
the Courier-JouraQl contrasts the duties
collected On sugar and moiasses, and
steel rails for the year 1880, and makes
out its case so clearly that we adopt the
line of the argument for the informa-
ton of those who may not have given
the subject much attention.
The value of the sugar and molasses
imported in 1880 was 1900, 648.05.
The value of that produced at home was
$l6,719,970 That which was i'm
ported yielded revenue which went
directly into the treasury of $42, 203,
915,4 40, and the tax which caused this
revenue yielded the home producers by
increasing the value of their products
$5,616, 50396. As well the revenue of
$42, 203, 9l5, 40, which the Government
received as the bounty of $3.50, 500. SO,
which the sugar planter received came
from the pockets of the consumers in
the United States; but it will be seen
that the Government received $3.50 of
revenue to each 81 of bounty.
In 1880 the price of steel rails in the
United States was $3.50. The price in
England was $35; but the duty on En-
glish rails was $28 and the freight, com
mission, ETC., was 81, so that English
steel rails imported into this country
would have been worth, or ought to
have been worth their value at home
$3.50 plus the duty (s26) and the
freight, ETC., $50 or $40.
The American production of steel
rails in 1880 was $4,000 tons, and the
imports were less than one-sixth, or
$4,000. On the imported article the
duty was paid to the Government and
the freight to the ship owner, while on
the home article, the duty ($27), and
the freight and commission $50 were
paid to the American steel rail ring,
which received that year bonus of $35
ON 954, 600 tons of steel rail, or 33,000,-
900, while the Government received ST.
424, 900 or S28 ton on the imported
rails.
As with sugar and molasses, so it is
with steel rails, the consumers pay both
the revenue and the bounty, but sugar
and molasses yield 81 or IS revenue
while they exact 81 bounty, and steel
rails yield 81 revenue, while they exact
S. bounty.