Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-11-02
An Address to the Voters of Mont
gomery county.
OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRATIC
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
Rockville, Nov 2, 1888.


five years ago swept over the country, sub
merging lifelong friendships, devastating
the fairest portions of the land, and creating
unrest and despair in the bravest hearts,
has subsidized; and men are again employed
in those great operations-only possible in
times OF peace-which tend to promote the
national growth and prosperity of the peo
pie. The public mind had been so long fed
with prejudice-sectiona rancour had been
80 bitter-that when, at least a wise and
| patriotic administration had shown how
groundless and foolish they were, the peo
| pie were amazed to find that while they
strove to avert an imaginary danger real
one had sprung into existence, destined, un-
less promptly and effectually checked, to
prove more lasting and disastrous than the
devastation of war. 1t was the danger aris-
ing from excessive revenue-the peril of
unnecessary and unjust taxation"-a sys-
tenn created IN the interest of few indus
tries at the expense Of the great mass of the
| people; and the question submitted for your
decision is, shall we continue to pay more
| taxes than are necessary for the support Of
the government, or shall the taxes be re-
| duced to the actual needs of the govern.
mentp
| The government of the United States, un.
der existing revenue laws, draws from the
| people one hundred millions OF dollars an
| nually more than is necessary to defray all
| Its expenses. Is this just? Let us illustrate
i by reference to our county government
The tax rate Of Montgomery county is oct
cents-.on each hundred dollars worth oil
property, and yields a revenue of 1856 ,22791,
which is the sum OF the county's actual ex-
penses. Now, suppose that the tax rate
were raised to the figure which would yield
a revenue OF 100000, while the expenses
remained at $50, 900, and this surplus should
be deposited in bank and remain there idle
for years, and each year have like sum
added to it, Would the people tolerate such
a policyy Yet that is precisely what the gov
ernmeut OF the United States is doing to day,
only it is doing by indirect means what our
County Commissioners would be forced to
accomplish by direct taxation. But sup
pose this policy OF exaction and boarding
should be adopted by our local authorities
in order to enable a few persons to carry ON
particular business in the county. How
many days would it be before the righteous
indignation Of the people would compel II
reversal of the policy? But the encourage
ment or protection" of certain industries
is the only excuse offered for continuing
fiscal policy which fills the Golfers of the
general government with useless gold, and
threatens with panic the commerce OF the
nation. The boldest Of protectionists would
not dare to advocate a direct tax by the
Federal government for such a purpose, for
the reason that the people would then feel,
in the presence OF the tax gatherer, the foul
wrong OF exaction, and strike down, as their
fathers did, the hand stretched forth To rob
them We fail To see the distinction in
principle between a subsidy OF bounty 10
manufacturers and revenue system trained
with the view to increase their profits.
The Democratic party has set its lace
rfurl tal declares
that an overstocked Treasury is a source OF
extravaganza and corruption. 1t declares
that public necessity is the only just ground
OF taxation-that no more revenue should
be raised than is needed for the economical
administration OF the government 1t de-
CARES that protection to the extent now en-
joyed is not essential to the maintenance of
our manufactures. 1t declares that the rev.
enue laws should be SO framed as to bear
equally upon all classes of the community
and all sections of the community. 1t at
lacks the existing laws because they violate
these just principles.
You, fellow citizens, constitute an agrl-
cultural community. few figures, taken
from the census of 1880, will show how
manufactures are favored and agriculture
oppressed. 10 that year, in 1853 $40 estab
ishments, the capital employed was $2,790,-
-cc23 SOC. The value OF the products OF these
establishments was $500 ,667, 706. From
this sum must be deducted the cost OF ma
terials, 1884 $40, 029, and the wages of
laborers, $947 ,919,674, aggregating $4342,-
259 FOB. The remainder, which was the
capitalists profit, was $1,027, 409 DOB, equal
| to more than SO per cent. upon the capital
| invested. The value of the farm lands and
implements was triple over twelve bill
lions of dollars, and the value of farm pro-
| ducts was two billions, or 168 per cent.
But from this two billions must be sub
tracted the cost of fertilizers and of labor,
the figures of which are not given in the
census. A number of careful calculators
place the net revenue of the farmer at ~
per cent, as against 36 per cent. received by
the manufacturer The average capital in
vested in manufactures was $10,996; aver
age products, $2l ,l14; wages and materials,
$17 ,109 balance 81 ,005, or over 36 per cent.
profit. The income of farmer from farm
of the same value was 1894. The profit up
on each 81 600 employed in manufactures
was 1885, the profit on each 5 900 employed
in agriculture was $35-less than one-tenth.
A difference so vast and startling should
not exist between the profits arising from
one kind Of industry and those arising from
another kind. If the law is responsible for
il, it is a statute which costs ominous con
lecture upon the justice OF republican gov
eminent. That it is responsible for it,
mainly, there seems 10 be no room for doubt
The law is coniessedly in the interest of the
manufacturer. 1t enables him TO charge
prices for his goods which he could not OBJ
tain without it. 1t compels you to pay for
thing more than it is worth. 1t forces you
into q restricted market with your commodi-
ties. If you produced no more than the
people Of this county consumed, If the de-
mand for the products OF the farm were al
l m, in
prices would range high and you would be
prosperous. But your products are largely
in excess of the home demand, and unless
they can find an outlet to foreign markets
they must rot upon your hands or be sold
at unremunerative prices.
A further illustration of the operation of
the tariff laws may be found in the state
ment made by careful calculators, that the
cost 70 the consumers of our home manufac-
lures is increased, by reason OF the talft SIX
hundred millions Of dollars year. This
sum goes to the manufacturers as bonus,
and is over and above reasonable percent
age upon the capital invested. Roughly, it
amounts to ten dollars per head of pOpula-
ton. There are about 10000 people in
Montgomery county, so that your proper
ton OF this tribute is three hundred thou
sand dollars That sum is equal " three
and half times the cost of your county
government, and represents direct tax rate
OF $3.50 on the 800 worth of property. 1t
would purchase 10000 tons OF fertilizer at
$50 per ton. 1t would purchase eighty
farms of $50 acres at $25 per acre. 1t would
build 200 splendid barns or 300 neat and COM
Portable dwellings. 1t would construct $50
miles of turnpike at $4,000 per mile.
These facts show how groundless is the
charge that the legislation recommended by
the President and adopted by the House of
Representatives would ruin our manufac-
lures or reduce the wages of labor. Ii it took
from the manufacturers the $500, 900 referred
to above, they would still have revenue OF
over Is per cent upon their capital. But 1t
does not take the half of it, and leaves them
profit Of more than 26 per cent. To say
that man who derives SO per cent from his
investments cannot afford to pay just wages
10 hia workman only nrOYes him 10 be q