Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-06
FARMERS AND THE TARIFF,

EARMEhS AMI HE IARlEEs
How the Tariff Fails to "Protecs" the Til
Ter of the Soil.
Chicago Her.ld
Senator Writings plain talk should
open the eyes of every tsrifise among the
farmers who read it. Lucid and compre.
hensive, it deals with facts only. The ef
fects are felt by all. snd of their causes
protection is guiltiest. In a protected
country wage labor must be nomi-
nally higher than in one where free trade
prevails. The tariff adds to the price,
and If the wages were not nominally
higher then purchasing power could not
equal that OF the wages paid in the free
trade land. These higher wages are also
in the valuation of all the domestic pro-
duction. Their excess is added to the
cost, and this, with profit on it, is paid
| by the consumer.
The tariff rate fixes the importer IS
price, SO, following the commodity from
him through the wholesale and retail
dealer, we get at the price as affected by
its first cost and by the tariff. Each Of
these we assume get 90 per cent. advance
to cover expense and profit. Let US
start, then. ten. pound piece Of flannel
on its journey. 1t costs abroad
So. The duty-10 cents per pound
and So per cent. ad valorem-ls
S2.05 Importer adds his 20 per cent.
Cost, $3 go, plus tariff, 50 46. The whole
saler adds his cost, 81 80, plus tariff,
50 50 2. The retailer adds his cost,
$5.1S.4, plus tariff, S. "a 2, and S. ~ 6 IS
the price the consumer finally pays. The
duty costs 81 40 2 more than the govern
ment receives, or, on these fan
nels, every 81 of duty drsgs
after it So of profit. Without
tariff, st the same profit, the goods
that in England would cost at most So so,
as there the retailer can buy direct from
the manufacturer. would cost here the
two profits, and would be sold st 81 80.
With but one profit and the tariff they
would cost Sc 06. At this price the
working people Of the great cities can
sometimes buy with cash to spare and
'Iob lots" but usually, as they buy st
the nearest store, and often on credit,
they pay the same prices the farmers do,
and get FOR SIS ~ the same flannel that is
retslled abroad at $3 60. AS tar as that
finnsl is concerned the workingman's
wages must be $40 here when they are
81 l3 abroad, to have the same purches-
ing power. If ne bought direct from the
importer ne must pay Sc 06 instead of the
So 60, and his so would buy as much IS
So 81 then.
If, then, be buys these goods across the
counter in town that has wooden fac
tory, they are sold in open competition
with the domestic fabric, both as to price
ar d quality. II sells off the loom to the
neighborhood, and from the very work
men that the tariff protects exacts every
silver Of these profits. Wages sbroad OF
but 50 to our S. have equal purchasing
lower of this flannel
Who is protected here, the flannel
wesrer or the flannel dealer? The tariff
averages II per cent; that OF the flannel
is 68 per cent. The aversge purchasing
power here and abroad is in that proper
ton, al d the dollar, worth, to buy with,
100 cents, in England, is here
worth only 50 cents in purchase of
every commodity that is competed with
by foreign manufsctures-that pours over
the walls Of the tariff. So protection
makes the Englishman's half-croWn and
the Frenchman's three francs equal in
value there to the coin On which our pro-
tects have stamped the legend for our
consolation, SIN God we trust"
What organ Of the protects dare say
that the difference in wages is greater
than this? Is it not plain that the wage
eerner's modicum is the same in intrinsic
value everywhere? The coal that raises
steam has its price regulated by the same
lsw, for labor, like coal, is but market
able commodity Were coal free, it
must still be higher here if the miners
held to the American standard Of living,
for still the miner must have wages that
enable him to pay, besides the natural
price, the added tax Of the tariff. The
miner escapes the tariff tax. His wages
forbid him to be consumer. The for
eign standard of living is imported with
him. 4
The accepted standard fixes everywhere
the rate of wages. Every importationI
from where this standard is lower def
bases the level IT American labor. .E6r
such the protects rake the worldranda
contract labor imported Is all the probe
ton the wage -earners of America GET
IF m the tariff.
In voting this tariff the pa riotism and
altrui m OF the farmer were alike played
upon by the demagogue. The protection
is the same that the oak gives the grass
at its roots.
But as yet the IaIDeTS mere Can
employ themselves. Their vote can
not be so controlled. Because law
yers legislate for the country, and
represent their clients, not their constitu-
ents, the farmers dollar has been go de-
based. Are not these the same breed as
those of old who "lade men with burdens
grievous to be borne, and themselves
would not touch the burdens with one
of their fingers?"
Senator Whiting suggests change;
that the farmers should select their law
makers Of their own class. Why not?
Legislation for the farmers interest can
ipjure no one. II cannot be protected,
but it can have the burdens laid on it
lifted.