Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-11-26
Mr.. Carlisle on Tariff Reform.

tening demand upon the government to
reform that great abuse.
At the banquet of the Iroquois Club,
of Chicago, on Wednesday of last week,
Mr.. Carlisle dwelt at length upon the tariff
question and pointed out probably greater
force than ever heretofore the absurdities
and iniquities of the doctrine known as
"Protection." He took the broad ground
that the tariff is confessed by tax, aud
that no government can increase the pros
perity of its citizens by taxing them. "All
taxation" said the Speaker, "whether it
be direct or indirect, aud no matter how
it is disguised or in what manner its pay
ments is enforced, is ultimately charge
upon labor, while its invariable effect is
to withdraw the full amount of the exac-
ton from the productive industries of the
people" The farmer does not find him
self enriched by high tax on his land,
nor is the manufacturer benefited by high
taxes on his machinery or raw material.
The proposition that high taxes, equi-
tably imposed, benefits the whole people
is so plainly absurd that the experience Of
the impoverished countries of Europe need
not be cited to show its sbsurdity. 1t is
not, however, an equitably imposed tax
that the protectionist desires. What he
aims to do is to use the law-making power
to give one section of the country, or one
class Of industries, the right to exact tri-
butte from the rest. The efficiency of his
scheme is IN strict proportion to the ine-
quality it creates. A just system of pro-
lection, in which every interest receives
strictly equal protection, would have no
advocates, because it would not enable
one set of men to pluck another. $50
long," says Mr.. Carlisle, "as the power Of
taxation is exercised only for the purpose
of raising revenue for the support Of the
government, the principle of uniformity
can be recognized and enforced, in large
degree at least; but when the power is
perverted and used to increase the profits
of private individuals, and to prevent the
collection of revenue by the government,
it is impossible to regulate its exercise by
any rule or principle except favoritism
and sel6shness. In such . case equality
ao1o<Gf lUrnai.y WIN necessarIsy ueIesr rns
primary object of the tax"
But there should be no ranks or degrees
among the Legitimate occupations of the
people. Mining and manufacturing are
valuable industries. They contribute large
~ to the wealth and comfort of the peo-
pie, and give employment to much capital
and many laborers. But they are not the
only industries. Everywhere throughout
the country there are American industries
those, for example, of the farmer, the
village mechanic, the clerk, the teamster
and others, embracing millions of people
which are equally entitled to considera-
ton. 1t is impossible to promote their
prosperity BY taxation in any form, but
they can be very much injured by taxes
levied for the benefit of more aggressive
interests, whose bene6ciaries, even if they
are really bene6ciar les, may be counted by
thousands. Taxation for protective pur-
poses has resulted SO far only in q contin-
uous waste of capital and labor. This is
shown by the present coalition of the
protected industries. They live upon the
tax. Such, at least, il the plea they make
when protesting against a reduction of
the tariff tax.
When in 1915 the first protective tariff
was levied for their benefit, they asked it
as temporary expedIent only. It was to
warm into life feeble infant industries that
would take care Of themselves long before
reaching adult age. "Yet, after 70 years, !"
Mr.. Carlisle observes, "many of the same
industries which then asked temporary
assistance only are now demanding dou-
BILE the rates of duty then deemed suffi-
Gent" The effect of the tariff has been,
in fact, to impair their ability to compete
with the products of similar industries
elsewhere. They limit themselves to the
home market, and when that 10 glutted
they suspend operations, and the unem-
ployed laborer cries out in vain for rem.
edy.
Relying on legislation for profits, pro-
tected capital has lost the spirit of pro-
gress and enterprise. A few of the pro-
tected manufacturers have gotten very
rich through the monopolies and pools for
which the tariff gives opportunity, but
their employers have gotten poorer. The
gulf between luxury and peaury in manu-
featuring districts grows wider and deeper
ist in young country if the laws affecting
the creation and distribution of wealth
were just and equal in their operation.
The opportunity of the socialist and snar-
chist lies in the obscure perception by the
people of the evil results Of unequal taxa
ton.
"Free trade" says Mr.. Carlisle, in con-
clusion, sis impracticable, but industrial
and commercial emancipation can be &C.
eonplished by moderate measures without
interfering with any private enterprise or
injuring any public interest. No matter
who may desert or who may faltsr, the
great fight for reform will 60 on"
DR.. Geo. Bauer. assistant professor at the
Peabody Museum at Yale, was knocked sense
less on Saturday last by the explosion of an os-
trich egg. Scientists at Yale say it was the
most remarkable explosion on record. The
egg were shipped to Yale from Cape Town on
Nov. IA, 1885, for experimental purposes, and,
owing to the delay, one of them fermented,
generating gas inside Of it which caused such
an explosion that the building was shaken.
When Dr.. Bauer recovered consciousness it was