The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-08

OIficIal County Paper.
TAXING THE POOR.
From the Chicago Times.l

In the speeches in Chicago and at
Cheltenham Beach on Saturday the
salient features of the great issue OF
the campaign were most ably and
fOrcibly presented. In addressing
such vast crowds ii was neither desira-
BILE nor possible for the speakers to go
into the refinements and nice distinc-
tions involved in an exhaustive discus
sion of the question OF tariff reform.
The most that could be lone was to
present clear statements of the real
question now before the country tor
decision and the great economic prin-
ciples underlying it, leaving the people
TO apply the principles Discriminatory
for themselves. This was well done, and
IL was enough.
Two points made by Judge Thurman
in his plain but comprehensive presen-
tation OF the subject should be strongly
emphasized:
l.. That those tariff taxes which are
in their nature protective not only take
from the people u very large SUN Tor
the support of the government-from
$40, 000, 900 to 800, 900 900 moro than
is really needed for that purpose-but
also a vastly larger sum for the benefit
of the capitalists who are engaged Ill
carrying on the protected industries.
This proposition does not, Of course,
apply to those taxes which are no
really Intended for protection but tor
the purpose of humbuggiDg the farm
ers and securing their votes for a sys'
tenn oftaxation under which they are
remorselessly plundered, such as the
< on wheat, corn, provisions, etc (,
for these do not affect the prices OF the
like domestic products 10 the extent OF
one cent In a thousand dollars. But II
in s~trictly true OF fully nine-tenths OF
Nil tariff taxes laid by existing laws.
To increase the prices OF the home pro-
ducts of o like kind 10 The foreign pro-
ducts on which they are laid is just
what these taxes are for, and II they
did not have that effect there would
O be such a defening outcry against
h Mills bill, which simply proposes
10 reduce them to q moderate extent.
In fact If they did not have that effect
> nobody would object to removing them
altogether If they could be dispensed
with without depriviDg the govern
ment of needed revenue.
set has. been estlmatee," said Judge
Thurman, and | have not seen II con-
sfroyerted, that the amount paid to the
domestic manufacturer is five times as
mncb AZ the amount which is paid to
the Government and goes into the
treasury Now the amount thai goes
into the treasury. from strictly protec-
tive taxes is about 5000 ,0OO,OO0. Five
time that is 81 ,000, 900 zoo. This latter
sum, according to the estimate winch
Judge Thurman has not seen contro
verted. comes out Of the pockets Of
consumers and goes int the pockets OF
protected capitalists. The latter are
not made that much richer every year,
because the most of the money Is sunk
in uueconomical and wasteful produc'
tion. but it all comes out Of tax payers
and leaves them that much poorer
People would not complain OF having
10 a the $500, 900, 900 to the govern
ment IL the money were needed Tor any
really good public purpose, but those
of ms who understand the matter dc
object to paying the others 81 1000, oOO,'
600. more or less. And this brings III
40 the second point.
q. Who Of us pay<hisenormousH sam!
Not the rich, tor, as Judge thurman
points out, the burden OF tarln take
does not fall upon US in proportion to
our wealth and ability TO pay, but II
proportion 10 our consumption. ID
who buys pays the tax. The maj
with a large family who has not aeon,
tmulated property to the value OF 500
may pay more than ''some old bachelor
n worth 81. 000, 900, and who is o
d5f1,ftst " hinaelf or to anybody else.
LIN Is 43st t1s truth of it. Tariff tax
~ <f6fs7y unequal, and what !
rftfNRY to{i fof the use of government
Non-seebr the nourishment of our giganti
atrial babies comes from the peopl
inodaiqn proportion to their ability TO pa.
proportion to what they nave I
uintn b for the use of themselves and thei
Iembe1ilies.