Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-07-26
Tariff Deception.

N'"NNA"eo @iO OOhtlHudilJ uTuu-
ming the ears of workinmen with
stale arguments that tariff is tax
on the consumer, a proposition that
bears the lie on its face. When our
public speakers and newspapers
address themselves to convincing
workingmen of this there will be no
workingmen deceived by the catch
ing illusion that he is taxed on every
thing he eats or wears or makes use
of in the course of life. Too much
can not be said to explain and estab-
lish the fact that duty is not tax
on the consumer, and for this rea-
son we subjoin an editoial from the
Daily Press of Joliet, H., under the
head "rariff Deception" which is as
follows:
If our markets are so dear and
foreign markets so cheap in labor
merchandise and everything men
tionable, will some kind philosopher
who philosophers without brains, or
with brains, be good enough to tell
us why the people in America don't
emigrate to England, Ireland, or
some other foreign country, or will
they be good enough to explain
why the people in these foreign
countries who enjoy such cheap
markets and good prices in every
thing, labor included, are focking
to America? Or will they oblige
us with a reason why those who
growl in America about how much
cheaper they can live in foreign
countries and how much better
wages they can get--why they don't
go there and do better. We will
begin to believe pretty soon that
nothing short Of famine, pestilence,
war, or epidemic will kill off the
fools. In the language Of Flanagan,
"what are we here for" if it is not
to better our condition, and why do
so many Democrats preach to us
about the superiority Of other coun-
tries, especially England, over Amer
lea? Wen tell you why; because
the deluded rank and file are so east
ly captured 10y the catchy but false
argument of a certain lot of dema-
gogues in search of spoils who fol
low the line Of policy laid down by
those higher up who are paid by
British gold, and are so thoughtless
as to believe that tariff on foreign
imports is a tax on the consumer,
when bigger lie was never invent
ed this side of Great Britain.
We have proved several times and
experience should demonstrate to
every American consumer that tariff
is not tax on the consumer. This
is the greatest deception that par
ty could practice upon an unthink-
ing public. The tariff has encour-
aged Ameican capital to engage in
manufacture and complete for the
trade of the articles on which a duty
is laid till the prices have been vast
ly reduced below what we paid for
eign producers before the duty was
laid. Take any article, farm nipple
ments, wooden goods, steel products,
and compare the prices now with
what they were when we had to pur-
chase them of foreign producers and
it will be seen what tremendous
reduction there has been in the
prices of the same by reason Of
home protected competition. The
consumer instead of being taxed is
simply saved the amount of the re-
duction. One of our contemporaries
tells its readers that there is a tax
on the rich of but 10 per cent on
diamonds while the poor pay tax of
IS per cent on salt, right in the face
of the fact that salt can be bought
wholesale in this country for So
cents a barrel. The tariff is in no
sense a tax on the consumer. Our
contemporary goes on through a
list of Injuries and shows that the
tariff is higher on luxuries than on
necessities and deeeiyes his readers
with the statement that duty is . tax.
The necessities constitute the market
which America wants and requires
a greater protection. The control
of the market of necessities is Just
what Great Britain is struggling
for. He goes to say that the rich
mans child can be anoiuted with
ottar of roses which is on the free
list, while the poor man pays $50
per cent duty tax on dose of cas-
tor oil for his child. Bless his poor
deluded soul. doesn't he know that
castor oil is cheaper in America
than in any other country, and that
the duty makes it so? All, but, he
will say, what is the necessity then
of a daty2 Just to keep foreigners
from debating the price aud placing
Il lust where they want to. There is no
market scarcely for the ottar Of