The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-19

When mans money Is taken away
from him without his knowledge,
some malicious people call il stealing.
viii say that il IS the most danger
Gus form of taxation that could be de-
vlsed, because il makes people less
vigiiant Of the expenditures OF pahlie
money and ialls them 20 sleep while
their substance is taken away
have said that the system OF taxa
tion Is continued on the ground that
it increases the rates OF wages OF the
American laborer. There are two or
three facts which show c0nclusively
that this argument is not sound. In
the first place, it is a concciei fact
that there IS as much difference be
tween the rates of wages pad In this
country 10 laborerS engaged in the
same occupation as there i be-
tween the difference of the aver
age rate Of wages paid here
and in European countries, and vet
the same tariff law prevails through
the whole United States. The greatest
differences between the rates OF wages
paid here and the rates paid In Euro-
pean countries is found in the occupa-
ton, which nobody pretends can be
protected under the tariff laws. For
instance. there i far greater
difference between the rates of
wages paid here TO carpcn-
tiers, stone and brick masonS,
railroad employees. steamboat eat-
ployes ami the rates of wages paid the
same classes of labor in Europe, than
there is between the rates OF wages
here in our nails and factories aud the
rates OF wages paid in the same indus
try in Europe. The rates of wages paid
in this country in unprotected indus
tries are largeron an average than the
rates paid in this country in protected
industries. and the difference between
them in the one case and those paid in
Europe, in the other ease, IS stiil
palmer.
They say ii you reduce the duties
this country viii be overwhelmed with
foreign goods and all our manuiactur-
ing and mercantile industries viii be
ruined. If all the Gunard vessels ply
ing between this country ami karopeen
ports were to be employed II would re-
quire them IS wears to bring TO this
country as much goods as the Pennsyi-
yania railway carries in one year, and
yet these gentlemen expect ensihie
men to believe that a reduction OF tax
alton on the people will close up all
our manufacturing establishments and
compel the people 10 rely alone upon
foreign products for the neeessaries OF
life. The proposition Is too absurd
and preposterous TO be argued. We
desire that the people shall have
cheaper clothing and agricultural i'm
plements before they get cheap whisky
and cheap tobacco. The Republican
platform, on the contrary, declares
that they will repeal the whole inter
nal revenue system rather than sur
render any part OF the protective sys-
TEN.
The high duty upon woolen goods
and cotton and upon steel and iron Is
Part of the protective system. The
true meaning Of the Republican plat
form is that it will repeal the tax on
whisky and beer and cigars and cigar
cites and cheroots, but il viii repeal
no part of the duty upon the articles |
have mentioned. Are the people
ready to endorse that document How
many of you are there who are in the
habit of purchasing and using in
your family articles OF foreign produc-
ton the like of which are not
produced in this country Very few
and yet these are the articles upon
which the Republican party platform
pledges TO take Off the duty.
| know that ii the intelligent and
honest men of this country viii take
this question Of federal taxation, un-
biased by political prejudice, they viii
give a Just and righteous decision, and
Cleveland Thurman will he elected by
a majority much larger than that
which secured the presidency for US
IN 1871