The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-23
hopeless idiot. [Great laughter and APP

United States-of dutiable goods-in the
year 1887, the last year for which we have
any returns, were in value $3.50, 325, 500.
The tariff duties collected were S2l2, 034, =
424. There were, therefore, in that single
year taxes levied on the United States by
the operations of this tariff law OF $2l2, :
O3I, 424, which went into the treasury Of
the United States. But that us | have
told you, was the least part of the burden.
The domestic manufactures of the same
kind Of commodities amounted TO 81, $780,
go, 1871. That is, in other words, TO five
thousand, three hundred and sixty.nine
million dollars, and rs the price OF those
goods was raised by the tariff in nearly
equal proportions to the price OF the goods
that were imported into the country, the
amount which the people paid in these
high prices OF what they had TO buy and
had 10 use, amounted TO about
ONE THOUSAND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
or TO about five times rs much Us the tax
received by the government for the use of
the government. In other words, the
whole country was taxed about 81 200, 600, .
600 for the benefit for a comparatively
small portion OF the country. And that
is said to be justice; that is said to DO fair
play; that is said TO be for the benefit OF
the American people. Why don't they
carry 1t outP Why don't they, when they
find in Port Huron lawyer-I think l
may name them because ] am lawyer
myseli-when they find one, the proceeds
OF whose profession don't afford him and
his family u comfortable superiority
don't they tax you all for his benefit, so
as TO protect him2 Or when they find
doctor whose income is not sufficient TO
support him and his family, why don't
they tax all the people of Port Huron in
order 10 add 10 the wealth Of that doctor?
And so on with everything else. Why
don't they do il? And yet they do tax a
man, or did tax him, and do vet pretty
highly sometimes, on the medicine that
he is obliged 10 take | remember one OF
the most satisfactory votes that ! cast
when in the Senate Of the United States
was 10 abolish
THE TAX on ouININE,
so that man with the fever and ague
could have his quininc without being
robbed Of his means OF subsistence. APP
plause. know there are few cases,
but they are very few and exceptional aud
not Of sufficient importance TO make il
necessary for me 10 speak OF them today,
in the limited time | have TO speak, In
which the duty or tariff tax is not all paid
by the consumer, but they are so trihing
in amount aud so insignificant, that il IL
not necessary that | should occupy your
time with them. The principal, the gem
eral fact is that this tax Here the
speaker was interrupted by cheering and
applause which followed his producing q
bandana handkerchief Well, gentle
men, this II good honest handkerchief,
and could have bought il a good deal
cheaper IL Il had not been for the tariff
tax. tGreat laughter and prolonged cheer
ing.
Now, there arc men who say the con-
sumer don't pay the tax. | have said
that that IL n most audacious assertion
and have tried TO show YOU that hc must
necessarily pay the tax. But ii they want
authority upon that subject, let me refer
to some men who have spoken upon IT,,
and whose words will hardly be gainsaycd.
First, ] will go back 10 John Quincy
Adams. and dare say there are plenty OF
Republicans and some abolitionists In this
crowd who have great Nencration for that
mans memory. ! knew him well; |
served in the House OF Representatives
with him, and know how intelligent he
was, and know how frank aud outspOken
he was.
~ TnE YEAR 1882
he was chairman Of the House committee
on manufactures, and lac said ia report
made by him In that year 'Thc doctrine
that duties Of import seem 20 cheaper the
price OF the articles on which they are
levied, seems TO conflict with the first die
tatcs OF common sense. The duty consti-
tu,cs part OF the price Of the whole mass
OF the article In the market. II Is sub
siantially paid upon the article Of domcs.
tue manufacture M well ~ upon that Of
foreign production. Upon one Il is a
bounty, upon the other a burden and the
repeal OF the tax must operate IN an equiv
alent reduction Of the price Of the article,
whether foreign or domestic. We say ~
long ~ tie importation continues, the
duty must be paid by the purchaser Of
the article. The general and permanent
| effect must be- 30 increase the price Of the
article 10 the extent Of additional duty,
and il is then paid by the consumer. II II
were not 10. " the general effect Of adding
I 10 the duty was 10 reduce the price Ol thC
article upon which IL is levied, the con
verse Of the proposition would also be
/ true and the operation for increasing
| the prico Of the domestic articl,
would DO 90 repeal the duty on
| the same article imported, an experiment
which the friends Of our internal industr,
would not be- DESTROYS Of making w,
| cannot subscribe, therefore, 90 the doc
trinc that the duties Of imports, protcctiy,
/ Of our own manufacturers, are paid 10y th'
| foreign merchant or manufacturer. Bu
| John Quincy Adams knew better, and Ia
was too honest a man 10 make such falls,
pretcnse.
Well, what said President Arthur II,
was good Republican. In his annua
message TO Congress, in lSs2-s3, Prcsiden
| Arthur said: 81 recommend an enlarge
mcnt Of the free list that IL Of goods tina
nav no duty, ~ as 10 improve within II th
numerous articles which yield an incon
siderable revenue, simplilication Of ia
complex and
INCONSISTENT SCHEDULE oF DUTIES
upon certain manufactures, PARTICULAR
those Of cotton, iron and steel, and a sui
stantial reduction Of the duties upon thos
articles and upon sugar, molasscses, WOO
aud wooden goods"
Well, that IL precisely what the Demo
Gratis are striving 30 do. That IL precisel
what the Mills bill, ~ II Is called, attempt
TO do. And yet these gentlemen who ar
bowling around about the benefits Of prt
lection and tho ruin that the Democrat
are bringing on the country tell you thi
this thing, which President Arthur recon
mendod only 70 lately, Is nothing In th
world but free trade. They are MOI
| - 4. H.. -. =. n al.