The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-05-26
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The DrcaI QinlcnjLI uieI. 1sshtH ~ Lt,,
ire6 tSu NOS sIt - II n 1sYf
IAN fhf import ttint3es,ispf hstd01tliH hys.
IN l., self an erroneous and odetepiyd
name or designation has been given.
1t is universally known as the "protees
live tariff ;" in tact, il should be pG1ps
rrIy termed Gas called and treated In
all works Oh political economy rcStg.scl
tiOnS on bpde. In this age of iEles
graphs and railroads, when husiness Us
dnne with Il rush, men, however capa =
hle, have little lime 10 consider The
Iaws oi trade not directly COnnee4ed
with their especial business, and they
form their cOnclnsioEs often from q
word, or single phrase. In this case,
many have concluded that "protec,
tive tariff" 90 HOmiHc, is someliAbg
that protects them personally, and THAI
the salvation OF the country dcpenaB
On "protcctiyc tariff" That thosf
who directly reap the reward thgEep
of should induStriouoly keep loalp
the deception is natural; and tRats
emjoldcncd by their success in that
direction, they should even point3 to
their own prosperity and au9mciftet
wealth, rung from the whole people bb
means of taxation for their own private
gain, rs evidence of the wisdom of5tha,
system, and why they should noFtbe
disturbed in its enjoyment. Then The
terms, "a tariff Tor revenue only,hl4a
tariff with incidental protection, qnjd
other meaning less phrases are frGqnetit-
Iy used, thus aiding to keep up Athe
deception, until the public mind is
bewildcrcd, and the AmefieaIf tfii4eu
concludes thatala4sgiStectiye tariff, y
simple and puregfei Sofifed dislyderR in:
vcnIion to make hR, ,Als u li,sos li Tho FIRST
step in the reform of this system is for
our public men to use correct language
to express idcas-lct it be known that
tariff is but II lax in all cases, the
object and purpose OF which Is to col
lect revenue TO run the government;
that any higher or greater rate, laid
for any other object or purpose, as iOs
tcring one industry 1T tho expense of
others, is II prostitution OF the taxing
power, and restriction and restraint
on trade aud commerce, and much of
the fog in the public mind disappears.
Ask the banker in his Office, the mer-
chant behind his counter, the farmer in
his field, if he favOrs "protective"
tariff, and he answers yes. Ask the
same man If he iaVOrs Il systeL by
which he and every other man and
woman is taxed, whether it is one per
cent. or twenty per cent. is immalcrial,
on their respective incomes, TO build
up the private business OF others, and
he answers nO-nOt one in 10000 of
either class would contribute, if solici-
led, even one per cent. of their respec-
tive incomes for such purposes, though
they by ii built far more extensive fac
tories and palatial residences than New
England and Pennsylvania now boast
Gf. They would all say, such an eutorC
ed demand Is communism, pure and
simple. Yet under the delusiye term
of Il ''prOteciirc' tariff all of the above
classes are contributing far more for that
lndcntiCal purpose arnnu.iy ANA If.
Ia the merchant aud farmer especially,
You further add, that the system M lis
working, To some extent, aripplcs the
market ior their surplus, which in turn
Cripples the banker and others. uo
amount OF charity tor our inanuIaclur
Grs could induce them 20 assume the
burden. Let things he called by their
proper names.
Now, plainly, what is the meaning of
these terms II is this The govern
ment needs certain amounts of money
to meet ITS expenses and pay its obi
CATIONS. The constitution gives to con
gress, for certain definite purposes, the
power, 'to lay ana collect taxes,
duties, imposts and eXcises" Ii bcin"
ascertained, approximately, how much
money the government will need, and
the income from other sources. one
party says, for the balance lay duty,