Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-10-11
WHAT IS A TARuFf9
Whom Does 1t Beneht?-Who Pays the
Dnties?-AnswerS to a Working man:



darin?
Answer-That plan OF raising money for tht
expenses OF Government, by which it IS col
iected at the cuStom-houses, from duties upor
imports, and not taken directly from thC
people By excise or internal revenue taxes.
W.-What are the advantages OF this plan,
Ans.-It is the cheapest way TO get the
necessary revenue, and it saves the people from
the annoying visitations oftax-gatherers. It 4:
the plan which was adopted when the present
Government was established in 1879. and has.
except in the emergency OF war, been adhered
70 ever since to the exclusion Of all others.
WHO PAYS THE DUTIES:
W.-Who pays the duties collected at the
enstom-housesf
Ans--n the articles imported are such
ss are largely produced here. the foreign
producer pays a great part Of them II the
articles are not produced here. the duty is
added to the foreign cost and We have 70 pay
it ourselves.
WHY do foreigners pay great part OF It
In the former case?
Ans.-Because experience has shown that
when an article is extensively produced here
the price falls below the foreign price with
duty added. Hence, to meet our home price, as
the duty is fixed. a reduction must be made
from the foreign price.
W.-Then, in such cases, foreigners contrib
ute to the support OF our Governmentg
Ans.-Yes, and justly so. because they get
the benefits OF our market and cur laws, Tor
which they would otherwise pay nothing.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE ONLY.
WHY do we impose duties on articles not
produced here if VIC have to pay them our
selves?
Ans.-We certainly ought not to do SO; but
there is no idea so unreasonable that II will not
have supporters. And there have always been
men in this country favoring this plan OF re
iievjng foreigners from taxation. 1t is known
as tariff tOr reUenUe only.
W.-Do these men understand that our peO-
pie have to pay all the duties under tariff for
revenue only?
ADs.-The more intelligent among them do
but they are partial to the English revenue
system, and forget that British laws and taxes
are no better fitted for this country now tn an
they were a century ago
PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE DEFINED.
W.-Can you explain, briefly, the meaning OF
the words Protection and Free Trader"
Ans.-Yes. Protection means that adjust
nent OF the tariff such things as may be
produced here which requires the payment of
duties high enough to Offset the greater wages
paid to those engaged in producing them. and
thus protect them IN their occupations against
the competition OF cheaper wages in foreign
countries.
W.-How much higher are wages here?
Ans.-Nearly twice high as in Great Brit
ain, three times as high as in France and Ger
many, four times IS high as in Italy and
Russia.
THE NEED OF A TARIFF.
Hy.-What difference does this make in the
cost of things produced in this country COM
pared with the cost in Europe!
Ans.-That depends on the amount Of labor
required to produce them. The labor may be
half three-Quarters, or even q larger part of
the cost. Iron ore and limestone in the ground
are OF little value. But by combining them
with labor they become pig iron, worth fifteen
to twenty dollars per tol- Applying more
labor, they may be converted into watch |
springs, worth more than their weight in gold |
This is the result of labor and it is evident that
this kind of work can not be carried on here |
unless the men engaged in it are protected by |
duties high enough TO cover the difference be- |
tween foreign and American wages. This is /
what protection does, and, therefore, a tariff |
framed for this purpose is called protective |
CaFin.''
HOW PROTECTION BENEFITS ALI.
Ware there any other reasons why pro- |
tectiVe tariff is better for our country:
Ans.-Yes; there are several other reasons. |
Iwil mention some Of them:
1st-By creating and sustaining variety of |
important industries which otherwise could |
not exist here, it diversifies the occupations of
people, and thus affords fields for their diff
ferent qualities and talents. 1t also prevents |
SO many persons crowding into few indus |
tries. For example, the people employed in |
manufactures are withdrawn from farming, |
and become consumers OF food instead Of pro-
ducers. This prevents excessively low wages |
In farming and raises the price Of farm prod |
ucts.
sd.-It cheapens tho price of things which |
are protected by encouraging competition |
among those engaged in producing them.
SKETCH OF EEGLAND's POLICY.
W.-Why, then, was it ever adopted?
Ans.-To make long story short, England
had for centuries strong protective tariff, |
and under it built up fiourishing manufactures, |
and increased the prosperity of the people. |
But about fifty years ago her manufacturers |
found they were producing more than they |
could SELL and needed larger foreign markets. |
BY large expenditure OF money and the use |
Of able speakers, they finally secured a major !
tty Of Parliament in favor Of measures which |
would enable them to reduce wages so that |
they could make goods cheaper than Other "a |
tions. To do this all duties were taken on |
farm products-to get the cheapest food |
wherever 1t could be found. The protective |
policy had developed her manufactures so that |
she excelled all other nations in skill. She |
had pfnty OF coal and iron, but an insufficient |
supply of other raw mater. ais. She opened |
her ports free to the raw materials of other |
countries and as she did not fear competition, |
she advocated free trade among all nations, TO |
secure unrestricted access for her own goods |
in foreign markets. This scheme seemed at |
flrst to succeed, but gradually it was observed |
that England was losing her farmers, and that |
many other industries were suffering, and |
slowly perishing. It now appears that her |
prosperity for 4 time under this tarif-for-rev- |
euue policy was due to accidental causes, |
which having passed away have left her in q /
worse condition than before, with enormous |
investments in machinery to supply foreign |
markets, which are now either protected |
against her manufactures, or have become her |
rival IN al nd pxrhil ila ,.,r
people have become untitled for agriculture
and are only enabled to live by underb ddlng
the operatives OF other nations in wages.
PROTECTION THE TRUE POLICY FOR THg
UNITED STATES
VII the tariff-for-revenue policy has been
OF such doubtful advantage for England, is
there any reason why 1t could be adopted here
with better results!
Ans.-None at all. On the contrary, England,
owing 10 her small size and limited range of
agricultural productions. had some specia rea-
sons for advocating free trade in food and raw
materials. To extend her manufactures she
was compelled 10 import largely, and with her
coal and iron deposits she had good reason to
think that she could manufacture cheaper than
any other country. But the United States con-
tains within its own borders all the resources
OF great manufacturing nation She need
import nothing, and TO build up her industries
and divers fy them, and give employment to
all her people, she has only 10 utilize the raw
materials of every kind that her own soil and
climate afford She has food in abundance;
iron and coal in every quarter; wool aud cotton
and fax unlimited. She needs no foreign
markets, for her own population increases so
rapidly that her growing manufactures are not
able TO supply the wants, and only demand
more tho ouSh protection to enlarge their pro-
ductions and enable them to supply these
wants fully and more cheaply than they could
be supplied in any other way. All the
condit ons of this country point to the pro-