Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-10-18
NORTON's Tariff TALK.
An Able Exposition on This Much
Discussed Question Saturday
Night.

Hon. X. II. Norton, the next
congressman from the Seventh
Missouri district, addressed a large
audience at the Court House Sat
urday night. Mr.. Norton's speech
was an able discussion of the much
vexed tariff question. From the
first word until the speaker had
closed, the audience listened with
wrapt attention and then it was by
no means tired. Mr.. Norton has a
pleasant voice, and his easy man
ner of talking, together with his
clear illustrations, make it a great
pleasure to listen to his speeches.
The speaker showed plainly the
difference between direct and in
direct taxes. The former is ap-
piled by local authorities and we
fully appreciate its value: it takes
money directly from our pockets;
and where is the man who is not
continually cIamering for a reduc-
ton of his taxes? Then, on the
other hand, we have the indirect
tax. You do not understand and
appreciate its application, but you
feel it in the end. Why should
you not endeavor to secure a re-
duction of this, as well as the
direct, but no less costly, tax?
This tax is like a leech; you don't
see it, you don't feel it, and
it stays there until it drops off.
The only difference is, this war
tax don't seem inclined to drop
off.
After rubbing Harrison with one
u two big truths, the speaker
touched Henderson, who is doing
some Republican campaigning in
this district. One Of that gentle
mans big pleas IS that under Re-
publican rule 10, 0O0 900 acres of
lands were given to the seople, but
he forgot to mention that this
same land was the peoples her.
itage. He also forgot to say that
the railroads secured over 200, OOO,-
600 acres of this land while the
people were getting that amount
less 10000, 900 acres. But a DEM
ocratic Congress has gotten back
over $4,000, 900 acres of this land,
with promise of more. Mr.. Nor
ton closed his speech with a good
story of the young man who goes
on one of these Western hemesteads
SO kindly given him by a Republi-
can administration.
The young man fences his quar-
ter section with taxed barb wire
and with war tariff burdeRed nails
and lumber erects a house. After
a hard days work he retires on a
mattress taxed 30 per cent, rest
ing his head on a pillow burdened
with the same amount. He covers
himself with a blanket taxed 60 per
cent. and when he crawls outin the
morning he puts on a flannel shirt
taxed 95 per cent. He slips on a pair
of shoes taxed So per cent. and his
legs are covered by trousers" taxed
go per cent. He puts water in a
pan taxed 35 per cent. from a buck
ct taxed the same. After he has
washed his face in untaxed water
he uses a towel taxed As per cent.
He then eats from a plate taxed so
per cent, using a knife and fork
taxed 30 per cent. He puts 80 per
cent. sugar in his coffee and seasons
his victuals with salt taxed 40 per
cent. He then fills his pipe with
tobacco taxed $50 per cent. and
moves over in the sunlight which
comes taxed through SO per cent.
window glass. And 50, from one
days end to another, he is burden
ed with taxes for the support of
ssinfant industries, which are now
big enough to have grandchildren.