Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-10-07

tnry Of the Treasury Manning, under the
head Of "Taxation Reform" will be
found clear, succinot and yet compre-
hensive statement of salient errors in our
oatrich-l like system of political economy
which should be printed in large letters,
framed and hung up in every American
Workshop and in the cabins and fore
castles of the few American vessels that |
are still left upon the seas. The secretary |
says:
Like our currency laws. our tariff laws |
arc q legacy OF war. II It's exlgencies ex-
uuse their origin, their defects are unneces- |
sary after twenty years Of peace. They |
have been retained without sitting and dis |
elimination, although enacted without leg
lslatiye debate criticism or examination. A
horizontal reduction of 10 per cent WINS |
made In 1872, but was repealed In 1875 and |
rejected In 1884. They require at our custom |
houses the employment of a force sufficient |
to examine, appraise and levy duties upon |
more than 4,1S2 different articles. Many |
rates OF duty begun in war have been in |
creased since, although the late tariif com
mission declared them luxurious to the In |
terests supposed TO be benefited !" and said |
that o reduction would be- conducive TO |
retained, although the long era Of falling
prices, In the case OF specific duties, has
operated large Increase Of rates. They
have been retained OF an average
ad valorem rate for the last year
OF over 40 per cent, which
is hut % por cont loes than the highest rate
OF the war period, and is nearly per cent
more thau the rate before the latest re-
vision. The highest endurNble rates OF
duty, which were adopted In 1924 to off,
set internal taxes upon almost every tax
able article, have In most cases been re-
tanned now from II to 20 years after every
such internal tax has been removed They
have been retained while purely revenue
duties upon articles not competing with
anything produced In the IS states have
been discarded. They have been retained
upon articles used as materials Tor our own
manufactures, lin 1884 adding $S0,OO0,OOO
to their cost,) which, II exported, compete
in other countries against similar manufac-
lures from untaxed materials. Some rates
have been retained after running the indus
tries they were meant to advantage. Other
rates have been retained after eifecting
higher price for domestic product at home
than 1t was sold abroad for.
And now note particularly the next
sentence. Il is the summing up in few
words Of a truisn that any investigating
reader may find clearly and patiently dis
sected In Buch works as Henry Georges
progress and Poverty" or Phillips
Labor, Land and Law" But, even
should any Investigator fail, after careful
exaininatlon' 70 hnu the truth OF the sec
retary's statement established to his salts
faction, he cannot shut his eyes to the in
consistency of HIGH tariff advocates
cumming 10 nave the protectloh OF the
American workingman in view while all
AZ, a.. ~. -. ...;., :.
tne tilne bney are taAlhB the prOuuets OF
tine pauper laoorer" they are daily I'M
porting the "pauper laborer himself free
OF auty. Lei such an one THINK Tor
moment OF the shlploads OF hungarians
and Italians who have been thus sys
eematicaiiy imported within the past few
years. The secretary continues
Inc. me general hlgh level 81 rates mas 9 q,
lower wages abroad. when, In fact. tbs
higher wages OF American labor are ut onct
10 distance ali eompetitiSyn froT s, nanns,
labor" in any market. All changes have
i 10Y uncnInSu, u SnanKea 'oI sne worse
~ Nc" scueInes u ciasslllcatlon a1u osheI'
1850, SI n, yuiptous, lnIricaet
Sai"P VII . hte ~. oa atsa y
oIi Us. r.a.,nls,ts VIII iiapaieial4sy W
"A out uhotene"eo'
And, little further on, the secretary
saws.
As iol duties anecLlng artlcles tnat are
''''H' -. ss.s essE' slSt3s 5ii9 lis
70 10 safety discarded Hfs hose, anon ua
1tg, nsed BY 6ur 6wp manufacturer
Wiaen uUw suuIect tIieln 10 Il hopeless com
petition at home and abroad, with the man
utacturing nations, none OF which take
raw materials.
Public attention is being special
drawn to this important matter at thi
time by pregpsnt events of recent occur
renceand wide Significance. A few days ag
the Minnesota Republicans, members o
the same party that helped the Randall
itea to sit down upon the mere considera
ton OF tariff revision by one branch Of
the national legislature at its last session
met in state convention and adopted
platform containing this expressive reso
luton:
Tho producers OF the great north-wes
necessaries III life than that oF tba g On
period. We favor, therefore,, 4s lust a r
nsee ~, i Ii Of their burdens ant
judicious revision Of the tariI, with sim sim
10 which wor the Bennbiio,, y, =
Inst national nIatforr sfanas inIt,l, ~ ~ ~
snan "s *, ,op1,, - n,'1 a 'leusel
Congress- " - eo'ttot
WHAT fhis convention pnnr,va ~ ,ha a.