The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-22
Prolonged Variant Taxes

nended by Democratic official, it has
well-deserved praise.
We regard the silver question as hav-
ng been settled more than once adverse
y TO the views of Secretary Manning,
and until he can show by existing con-
ditions that the compulsory coinage of
limited amount of silver is injuriously
affecting the agricultural interests of
the country, the question will remain
settled. it is more probable that we
will have unlimited coinage of silver,
than that the views Of the Secretary in
favor of the suspension of all coinage
will prevail.
His treatment of the tariff question,
however, is in direct accord with the
view taken by the revenue reformers, of
the Democratic declarations at Chicago.
The President, in his message, deals
with the subject in general terms, but
Mr.. Manning goes into details. He ex-
plodes the bugaboo Of ''free trade" and
diseloses the injustice and cruelty Of
protection" He is sound on tobacco,
whisky, sugar and wool.
He discusses the proposition to con
troll the revenue by prohibitory tariff,
now much advocated by those who feel
the necessity of reducing the treasury
surplus, and are unwilling to surrender
the bounty which the present tariff
wrings from the taxpayer, fairly and
logically, and, to us, his conclusion
seems irresistible. he says:
Some whose mistaken view Of their own
interests has thus far prolonged our war
taxation admit the necessity of its reduc-
ton, and to cut down the federal revenue
by raising still higher the rates Of the war
tariff, until by their prohibitory action
they effect more complete exclusion Of
imported commodities, which their fellow
citizens desire to buy with the products Of
American industry.
There are several objections to such :
scheme. 1t is protection" indeed, and
like "free trade" would prevent revenue OF
imports. But we need just now to ge
| $3.50, 000,0 600 from taxation on imports
| What is worse, it would continue the ex
clusion of the surplus products OF Ameri
can industry from foreign markets, and sc
prevent the natural diversifying of our in
dustries. 1t therefore would postpone o.
j prevent the larger and unintermittent EN-
/ ployment of American wage -earners il
productive industry. 1t would cut dowI
the receipts of the-treasury and continue
the multiplied indirect and incidental tax
alton levied upon our whole population
through prices enhanced by the highe
tariff tax, yet nowhere able to be spent By
any employer Of labor in raising the wage
of labor Tor it would subject the employ
ers themselves to another course OF higi
profits, inviting an excess Of newcomers
entailing over-production for the hom
market, reckless competition, with no es
tablished outlet, in working off the sur
plus product; agreements to restrict pro
duction in order to keep up prices thei
the discharge of labor by the employer
who go to the wall intermittent and di
minished employment OF labor by thos
who combine to prevent over production
and, last of all, desperate competition 70
employment by the wage-earners them
selves hopeless strikes and proftabl
loekouts.
An official analysis of the last censu
discloses that of the II, $4,000 persons i
the United States then engaged in gainfu
I work, (now 2O,0OO,OO0,) about 50 per cent
cannot be subjected to foreign competition
and about per cent. are all who can be
or, rather, whose employers can, tariff or n
tariff
Last year 1892, sos, 023 was the increas
of price we paid on commodities imported
hither, and here consumed these taxes o
imports incidentally beneftting tn
employers of 1OO,OOO,O0O persons her
employed in procuring the like com
modities for general consumption here
by the handicap on foreign competitor
raising their prices.
On the other hand. 100000 person.
paying nineteen-twentieths of those tax
increased prices, and paying also nineteen
twentieths of any enhanced prices of tn
domestic product thus guarded agains
competition, were themselves engaged ii
other gainful work by its nature not sub
ject to any foreign competition, and coul
therefore obtain no such incidental benefit
but only loss, by taxation.
The proposition to enlarge for tn
employers of 100000 persons this Incl
dent of taxation on imports una
voidable wherever the inland an
seaport tax are not the same on eacl
commodity; the proposition to make thi
unequal incident the actual purpose of GU
taxation of them and the 100000 per
sons who could only suffer, not enjoy, i
not propoiition "to lay and collect take
for the general welfare" nor is it conform
ed to the spirit of the law that "all duties
imposts and excuses, shall be uniform
throughout the United States"
And of the tax on whisky and Tobacco,
and the duty on sugar, he says:
Nobody pays a tax on tobacco excep
the consumers of tobacco They are will
ing to pay for the luxury, and they ask NJ
relief Any probable reduction If the tai
on whisky would be more likely to incress
the revenue than to diminish it. Tn
price Of sugar has fallen to an exceeding
| ly low rate. Our own sugar crop is 81
very small part of the total amount o
sugar We consume, that sugar ranks mex
to articles wholly produced abroad, ik'
tea and coffee, in suitability for taxation
on the ground that Its consumption is uni
versal, that the tax is easily and cheapl,
collected, that the increased price paid By
the consumers is an unconsidered trife
and that what is taken from the tax paperI
goes into the taxpayers treasury, not int
a few private bank accounts"
AS one of the arguments in favor o.
placing raw wool on the free list, BIZ
cites the fact that the duty on it pro
cured for the treasury last year only
s., 126, los, while it aided in nearly
doubling the cost of their clothing te
the American people. The duty or
sugar costing an average of only 80 cent.
head, yielded $51, IT'S, 94s.
The Railroad Commission, as Board
of Control of the Penitentiary. made 81