Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-09-28

ly makes them pay 10 for a dollars worth OF
worsted goods 81 69 for dollars worth Of axles;
for dollars worth Of Oil cloth; 81 As for dollars
worth of needles; $3.50 for dollars worth OF
a1 3orf Of % Is oi
cents worth of castor oil; 81. go for dollar, ,
worth Of w9SGw f wo aad
so on along the whole Ist?- Vi7ldtcdtor.
This is very English. you know. 1t is an
assumption that every article OF English man
ufacture is purchased and used by the people
of this country, and that nothing manufactur-
ed here is used by our o wn people. 1t is the
old exploded free trade argument that the
duty is added to the cost of the article wheth-
er manufactured in this country or Europe.
How could the duty be added and become a
tax, unless the article is imported? There is
not an item enumerated above, used in our
country, that is not of American make; and
in their manufacture home competition has
had the effect to reduce the price to the low
est possible cost, consistent with the existence
of our own manufactures. From the fact that
the V1ND1oAToR argues against tariff duty, it
our markets opened free to other countries,
forcing our industries to suspend or compell-
ing reduction of wages to correspond with
the wages paid in Europe. That would give
them the control of our markets, and with
that effected they would fix the prices to suit
themselves, for our means of competition
would be destroyed. The argument, if argu-
nent it can be called, of the V1NDIoAToR is
for free trade pure and simple-for the Henry
George idea of abolishing custom houses, and
the destruction of the whole industrial system
of the United States-to remove the work
shops of America to Europe, and to give en-
ployment to European labor instead of Ame-
rican labor Valley Virginian.
We trust the reader will, before perus-
ing what is to follow, read carefully what
our Republican contemporary has said
above. In nothing that has appeared in
its columns has it more clearly admitted
and defined the hostile attitude Of its
party toward the political revolution now
sweeping over this country in favor of
lower Federal taxation.
It asks: "How could the duty be added
and become tax unless the article Is i'm
ported ?'' 1t can be done, and is done,
easily enough. Articles are sold every
where in the United States, with the duty
added to the price and extorted from the
consumer, not one of which, manufactured
abroad, is ever imported here. The
mere machinery Of adding the duty to the
io al vIo md "a oil
illustration. When the Moffett Bell
Punch went into operation, the excise tax
was at once added and the consumer saw
with his own eyes, and felt in his own
pocket, that it promptly turned into
tax. The state tax OF 2l cents a drink
went into operation on fixed day. On
that day the saloon keepers put the price
of liquor he had sold the day before for 10
cents, up to Is cents drink. He not only
charged the tax, but 81 cents more than
the tax. That is the machinery of indi-
rect taxation and that is how the man
who is first taxed by 1t, not only recoups
himself, but adds little more for the
the consumer to pay. Had that State tax
been duty on imported whiskey
placed by the government, he would have
charged the same Is cents on every drop
of whiskey madein Augusta he offered over
his bar. That is the action, spirit and
method of collecting all taxes from con-
sumers and putting them up, as well. New
apply it to the Tariff taxes which, unlike
the Bell Punch, are still in existence. The
U. s. Government has laid a tax, called
duty On hardware, and The manufacturers
of hardware have put and keep the price
up to the duty when the goods are sold to
merchants in this country. They sell their
manufactures to foreign countries. at from
40 to go per cent. less. We say what We
know, when we say that Staunton hard
ware merchants get friends in New York
to buy from the large factories, hardware
for export abroad. 1t is sent to the friends
place of business, iron-hooped and packed
for expectation, and the friend then ships
1t to the Stanton merchant. This is done
because the factories and their agents
charge from forty to sixty per cent. more
to American consumers-who are prohibit
ted by high tariff to buy anywhere else
than they do to South America, Russia,
or any point where they have foreign COM
petition. These factories export largely
and proftablq to foreign countries. This
ruse forms the only way by which the
Staunton storekeeper can get goods
on the best terms for his customers.
Shovels made in Massachusetts are sold
in this country at So dozen to merchants,
and in Mexico at 1921; Disston saws
made in the United States are sold here
at 20 per cent. higher than in Mexico, and
the Agate Iron ware is sold In Mexico
at IS per cent. less than in the United
States, where made. The Americans, by
their own votes, have maintained tariff
which protects and encourages manufac-
turers, that make them pay So for what
they sell to foreign countries at 49, They
have, by their votes, established tariff
which bars them from getting these manu-
features from abroad and compels them to
ply the exhorbitant prices charged by