The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-04
THE TARIFF AND TIE FARMERS.


The proposition that tariff on an imported
article increases the price of such article to
the extent of the tariff put on, was combated,
and its fallacy exposed, by Alexander Ramil-
ton nearly a hundred years ago, and every
years experience since that time has demon
strated its absurdity; but President Cleveland
re-states the proposition with the assurance Of
one who never dreamed that anything had
been. or could be, said against its correctness.
The Presidents exact language is as follows:
'But our present tariff laws-the vicious
ineauitable and illogical source of unnecessary
taxaton-ought to be at once revised and
amended. These laws, asStheir primary and
plain effect, raise the price to consumers of
all articles imported and subject to duty by
precisely the paid for such duties. Thus
the amount of the duty measures the tax paid
by those who purchase for these imported
articles. Many of these things, however, are
raised or manufactured in own country.
and the duties now levied upon foreign goods
and products are called protection to these
home manufactures, because they render it
possible for those of our people who are man
ufacturers to make these taxed articles and
sell them for a price equal to that demanded
for the imported goods that have paid customs
duty. So it happens that while comparatively
few use the imported articles, millions of
our people, who never use and never saw any
of the foreign products, purchase and use
things of the same kind made in this country,
and pay therefor nearly or quite the same
enhanced price which the duty adds to the
imported articles"
For the sake of the argument let US concede
that this theory is true, and then see how the
account will stand with the farmers of the
country. There is tariff of 10 cents per
bushel on Indian corn. In 1886 we imported
a little over 16, 900 bushels of corn and raised
in the neighborhood of 2, 600, O00,O 900 bushels.
Now, if the price of all the corn we imported
and all we raised at home was enhanced 10
cents on the bushel by the tariff, then the
farmers of the country realized from the tariff
on corn alone more than the entire amount of
revenue collected from imports. Ten cents
bushel on 1000 600, 900 bushels would make
5000, O00, 900, while the entire amount of
revenue realized from the tariff in the year
ending June 80 1886, was only 1892, 900, 900.
There is duty of 20 cents per bushel on
wheat. In 1886 we imported upwards of $780,
900 bushels Of wheat, and raised nearly $780,
900, 900 bushels. If the Presidents theory is
correct this tariff of 20 cents per busnel on
wheat put into the pockets of our farmers
more than hundred million dollars.
In 1886 we imported nearly hundred thou
sand tons of hay, and raised over 30, O0O 900
tons. The tariff on imported hay is So per
ton, and if all the hay consumed in the United
States in 1886 was increased So per ton, then
the tariff on hay enabled the farmers of the
country to realize for their hay crop some
$4,000, 900 more than they would have re-
ceived without the tariff
There is duty of cents per pound on
butter. In 1886 we imported about It's, 900,
and produced at home about III 900, 600
pounds of butter, and thus the farmers real
lied over $50, 0O0 900 from the tariff on butter,
Taking the Increased price of all farm products
upon which there is tariff, we find that the
farmers of this country receive for their crops,
annually, about $500, 900, 900 more than they
would without the tariff, if it really be true
that the tariff adds so much to the price of
when you confront the President and his
party with these facts they turn about and
deny that their great principle applies to
farm products. If it does not apply to farm
products, let somebody explain upon what
theory it applies to iron. cotton and wooden
goods, and other things we produce in the
same Unreasonable abundance that we raise
corn, wheat, etc.