The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-11-01
Jadso Thurman UalIy Answered by Dir.
Randall.

Randall.
"If the consumer does not pay the
tax" holly asks Judge Thurman, sin
the name OF God who does?" The tax
referred to by the Dem9cratic nominee
for the ice.Presidency is the tariff on
imported products. 1t gives the INTEL
LloENcER great pleasure to afford the
Hon. Samuel ]. Randall an opportunity
to answer Judge Thurman through
these columns. TIE reply was nd
dressed to President Cleveland and Mr..
Mills, but it will serve as well for Judge
Thurman and any other Free Trader.
Observe how reasonable and conclusive
it is:
will stop to refer to few Of the
fundamental propositions which have
been persistenLly maintained through
out this debate, and which, appear ia
exercise controlling influence over the
opinions of so many.
First-That duties are always added
to the price which the consumer must
pay.
On articles not produced in this Coun'
try this is undoubtedly true, as a gen
eral rule, and measurably true also on
articles that are in part produced in thl'
country but not sufficiently to supply
the entire demand. But on all those
commodities produced in sufficient
abundance to supply, or measurabIy
supply the home market, different prin'
ciples control. In that case competition
which is free to operate, determines the
prices OF the various products and the
| foreign producer comes to this us mar
ket where prices are fixed, and the du.
ties are what he pays for the privilege oil
entering our market. Applause.
Another erroneous proposition is that
duties on articles produced in this coun-
try are a tax or bounty which the con
sulner pays to the manufacturer, by
means OF which the manufacturer de
rives larger profits than prevail in othel
industries.
II this were true it is not easy TO see
what justification could be offered for the
committee bill any more than for the
present tariff laws. But that this, as q
general rule, is erroneous becomes ap
parent enough ola closer examination
OF the laws OF trade which prevail undel
all systems.
That there is a tendency in every in
\ dustrial system to an equalization OF pro
fits on capital and wages OF labor is ar
admitted principle OF political economy
Adam Smith long ago laid down the pro
position that larger profits in one indus
try than in others could not long prevail
in the same country. Other economist.
state the same principle. Suppose that
with our industries constituted as they
are, we formed world by ourselves
would it be claimed that one class, II:
consumers, paid perpetual tax to an
other class, as producers? Would not
rather.the economic law Just stated pre-
vail2 Such would be the condition, too
under tariff entirely prOhihitory, The
same law operates under n tariff thai
covers the difference in the cost OF pro
duction between thisand other countries
OF course the tendency to an equaliza
ton OF profits on capital and wages o
labor never reaches dead-level, be
cause of the varying conditions and in
fluences under which production ant
consumption go on.
From these principles it follows tha
all who participate in an industrial sys
TEN arc partakers OF its benefits, whether
they are employed in one industry OF
another-not the manufacturer alone
but the laborer; in short, all who pro
duce and exchange products are alike
benefited under this system, and that il
the system l wish to continue by 1
proper adjustment OF tariff duties. Only
those who have fixed incomes or are III
office for life with fixed salaries, would
be benefited by the overthrow OF this
system and the establishment OF Free
Trade. But this is the last class that has
right to complain.
Until the Democracy was captured by
the Cleveland element Mr.. Randall was
one of the big Democrats OF the country
He was big enough to be made Speaker o
a Democratic House OF Representatives
to have Democratic clubs named aftel
him, to be lauded as one OF the finest
specimens of the JefIersonion.J Jackson
ion article OF Democracy pure and unde
filed. Mr.. Randall is to-day n candidate
for reelection to Congress on the Demo
cratic ticket, though it is true that he
has not opened his head in this cam
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