The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-09-13
VIRGINIA


l have been called upon, sa5s'that power
fnl tariff writer, Robert P. Porter, nc
fewer than dozen times to reply to that
tedious chestnut about the farmer being
taxed 95 per cent. on his flannel shirt. 81
per cent. on his coat, etc. Incredible as
it may seem to intelligent people, the Dem
ocratlc National Con mittee is insulting
the intelligence of the farmers of this
State by circulating this exploded IT lie OF
free trade argument:
Under this tariff the farmer rises in the
morning, puts on his common flannel shirt
taxed 81 per cent: his coat taxed 81 per
cent; shoes So per cent, and hat taxed so
per cent; takes the water from bucket
taxed IS per cent washes his face and
hands in tin bowl taxed IS per cent. );
dries them on cheap cotton towel taxed
Is per cent.
He sits down to his humble meal and
eats from plate taxed so per cent, with
knife and fork taxed IS per cent; drinks
his coffee With sugar taxed IS per cent;
seasons his food with salt taxed SO per
cent; pepper taxed 81 per cent.
He looks around on his wife and chill
dren, all taxed in the same way; takes a
chew OF tobacco taxed 1919 per cent, or
lights his cigar taxed 11S per cent. And,
sir, even the sunlight from heaven that
pours into his humble dwelling must come
through window glass taxed SO per cent,
and ylt 20 THINKS he IiupS in % froocf
government under heaven"
The object of this shallow circular is to
make the farmer believe the free trade
theory enunciated by Grover Cleveland
that the price of the domestic product is
increased by exactly the amount of the
duty.
Here is the practical outcome of the
concentrated wisdom of the National Com
mittee. A common flannel shirt costs in
IS. 6d., or 81 cents. The cost here would
therefore be ne9rly double, or 81 IS. The
actual price is 81,
A common suit of clothes costs in En-
gland 3Qs.. or 81 so. The cost here, there
fore, would be 81. So. The actual cost is
$780, same as in England. An all wool
$40 suit such as that exhibition by Major
Mckinley costs just s2, or $40, in London.
In England common boots costs IS. ($1 SOY
and fair ones los. (2.5o). Instead of cost
ing one third more here the price is 81 %
for well made hrogans and $3.50 for fair
boots.
A 3s Sd. Isl cents) hat in England can
be had here for ST., and it does not cost
nearly -, as asserted.
A TIL bowl costing l0d,, OF 20 cents, in
England CAN be got here for about the
same price, or at most 25 cents. On the
other hand, kitchen utensils as whole are
cheaper iii this county, than in England,
our ingenuity i'll making such articles be-
ing greater than it is in England.
A cheap cotton towel i'll this tax ridden
land, quality for quality, costs less here
than III England, and we Can prove this TO
the satisfaction OF all Democratic liars.
All knit goods are cheaper here than in
England especially jerseys such as women
wear. So are the commoner grades OF
stockings and socks.
American farming implements of all
kinds are exported and sold in competition
with English. They are better, more in
geniuusly made, more durable and cheaper
than the farming implements of any
country in the world
American cutlery is imported by and
sold in England. Does not this prove that
the price is not higher than English cut
lery? Pottery and window glass cost one
third what they did when we depended on
England TO manufacture these articles for
us. The difference in the price to-day is
not the duty.
Sugar is Democratic industry, and rice
taxed" l02 per cent is carefully ignored.
The Republicans repealed half the internal
tax on tobacco in 1883, and would have
repealed the balance last session only
Speaker Carlise refused to recogniZe Judge
Kelley for this purpose. What folly,
therefore, to talk about 1879 per cent. on
chewing tobacco. In free trade England
the workman pays 1900 per cent. on his
tobacco,