Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-10-04
Who Pays the Tariff?

zette, has one favOrite war-cry and
that is, 1.-The consumer pays the
tariff" 1t aIternates at the end Of ed
itorial quarryings with, "Reduce the
taxes" While the Gazette may not
be willing to take our word for it or be
willing to listen to our arguments, the
ponderous intellect of its editor may
give heed to the words of man who,
in En- gland, the free-trade Utopia of
Democracy, stands as high in the ranks
Of statesmen as any other person liv-
ing, a man who the world admits to be
among the very foremost of political
economists and clear-brained thinkers
John Bright, NJ. P.
Mr.. Bright has been largely engaged
In business ventures and his testimony
upon the relation of the tariff to ex-
porters and consumers may be received
as valuable at this particular time.
Speaking in regard to carpets, Mr..
Bright says: "We export our carpets to
America, pay duty on them and then
are forced TO SELL THEM AT A PRICE
FIXED By THE PROTECTED AMERICAN
Vho enters into competition 10Th US for the
sale of his goods" Of course, the rule
which applies to carpets applies to
every other article exported by England
to America.
While the free-trade Cobdenite Dem
ocrat Of the United States bowls him
self hoarse endeavoring to make the
voters believe that they pay the entire
tariff on goods received into this coun
try from abroad, befogging their minds
by specious and one-sided statements,
this British manufacturer is honest
enough to confess that every dollar of
tariff on goods exported to this country
is paid out of his own pocket.
In the words Of an exchange, eff it
were true, as has been asserted, that
the American manufacturer simply
adds to the price of the similar English
product the amount of the duty i'm
posed, then the foreigner would receive
his price and would enter into compe-
tition with orr manufacturer upon an
equal footing, and might reasonably
be expected to sell an equal amount of
goods in our markets, but the fact that
he does not furnish us one.ffth of such
goods as We can make at home demon
strates the entire fallacy of such a
eff the foreigner is getting his price
what more could he reasonably ask?
What difference could it possibly make
to the Sheffield razor-maker if the i'm
porter be required to pay q dollar OF
five dollars on each razor imported, if
the makers price be paid at Sheffield?
Why should the English maker of
steel rails want any change in the pres
emit state of affairs if the American
railroads pay him his price, but chooses
to pay the American maker bonus
simply as matter of loyalty.
IF this tariff really works as it is
claimed by certain reformers, the Brit
lsh manufacturer should be contented
and happy, yet there is not a free
trader in the United States who would
dare maintain that England is not NOV
ing heaven and earth to break down
our protective system. This action on
their part is sufficient to point out to
thinking people which country is tn be
benefited by this so called reform
We have long enough been afflicted
with the shameless hypocrisy of
free-traders. Their false and unreas-
enable claims out-English England
Even the most ardent Britishers dis
prove of their idiotic arguments. The
Democracy is in hard straits but its
rambling free-trade arguments will not
help it any.