Evening journal., 1888-10-09
MR, RAYARn,s SPEECH.

II was strong argument on the pre-
misses laid down by Mr. Bayard. but his
assumption that the tariff is tax in the
sense that the internal revenue collec.
fions or the county and state leyies are
lakes is IN assumption pure and simple
and the foundation for Mr.. Bayard's
splendid superstructure has no exist
ence. Hence his entire argument falls.
Mr. Bayard said many things to indicate
that this was the basis Of his speech.
Among them was the concluding state
ment that he did not believe that a hand
ful Of men should have the power to
tax $4,000 600 people This statement.
100, exposes the fallacy Of his main prop
osition, for it has been proved again and
again that the people Of this country do
mot pay the tariff duties. For example,
abe duty on yard Of calico is Eve cents
but that is the entire price Of the yard of
this goods Again coffee and tea cost
the consumer just as much to-day as thev
did few years ago when there was a
tariff duty collected from them. Then
the producer or shipper Of these articles
paid the duty To day he is making
the money which the absence of the duty
permits Living in Massachusetts, is
only "a per centum more than it is in
England, although wages are over 60
per centum higher. which shows con
clusively that the tariff duties do not
increase the cost Of our commodities.
There is not an article of domestic use 40
be found in the home Of any mechanic.
clerk or workingman in Wilmington
To-day that costs more than one-half as
much as the same article cost thirty
years ago, or before the present high tariff
laws were enacted. Take any woman ia this
city Of 90 years Of age and she win tell
you that she has twice the eonvenienees
to-day at no more cost than she had in
1860 Take farmer Of that age and he
will tell you the same great truth con-
cerning the things that make up his col.
lection Of farming utensils.
1t is not true that the tariff duties are
tax on the American consumer. when
you speak Of the necessities and even Of
nany of the luxuries Of life. Il IS true
when you speak Of French silks and laces
wines and brandy. kid gloves and fancy
buttons. pianos and music boxes. oriental
productions Of beautiful and costly de
signs and all such things which are
never seen in the houses and on the backs
of ninety nine -hundredths Of the
American people The tariff duty
as tax on those things /
which the Vanderbilts and Goulds. the /
cottagers at Newport, the whitneys and
fhe Bayards must have. even though they
come high. Imported champagne is
much higher because Of the tariff but
the American molasses is 40 per centum
cheaper than it was in 1860. A dress Of
French silk costs twice what it would
were the tariff duties removed. but the
muslin Of Mr.. Bayards immaculate shirt
costs only one-half as much as ii did
before the war.
Another false assumption which Mr.
bayard was led to make because of his
opposition to the Senate bill, which by
1ne way is not very strong answer to /
abe Mills bin, was that reduction Of
sarih duties would reduce the surplus
sever did serious man utter more trans
parent nonsense. Let us cite a single
example Between 1880 and 1888 worsted
goods paid tariff Of about $500. 600 on 4
duty Of 90 per centum. The free traders
wno made inroads upon Mr.. Ar
fhur's Cabinet induced Congress 10
reduce that duty to 25 per centum. The
@nouat Of money collected at the custom