The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-05-19
The Tariff in the Poor Mans Home.

Among the best speeches yet delivered in
the tariff debate now in progress is that of
Hon. j. l.. Macdonald, of Minnesota, who
reviews the entire tariff controversy, with the
object of showing that high tariff inhicts
great injuries upon all classes of citizens,
except 1866 capitalists, and most of all
upon the farmer. The surplus in the national
treasury, estimated to amount on the Both of
June next to Sl55, 100000, proves the neces-
sity of some measure of reducing taxes
Shall the reduction be made in the internal
revenue from whisky, beer and tobacco, az
eregating S1lS, 1000, 900, or from tariff taxes,
agrregating S2i7, ZOO, 900? The tariff revenue
was derived from an average tax of AZ per
cent on about 1000 articles, including $685.
000, 900 from sugar, $50, 700. 900 from iron
and steel, SIS, SOC, 900 from wool, S29, zoe, 900
from manufactures of wool, SIS, SOC, 900 from
silk, "a, SOC, 900 from glass and glassware,
s., 400, 900 from earthenware, Sc, 200, coo from
hemp, iute and fax goods, 81, 100000 from
lumber, 100000 from salt and 81, 200, 900
from cotton goods. The balance of the
S2l7, OOO, 900 was collected on imported luxu-
ries. Mr.. Macdonald puts the taxes on
articles bought by the farmer under appro-
pirate heads Taxes on the kitchen: The
stove and poker, 40 per cent; hollowware,
pots and kettles, 90 per cent; copper and
brass utensils, As per cent: crockery, cheap
est kind, 55 per cent; cheap glassware, 40
per cent; table cutlery and spoons, 40 per
cent; salt, 36 per cent; sugar, 80 per cent;
vinegar sc per cent; rice, l23 per cent.
Taxes on the parlor and living rooms; Car
pet, 68 per cent; furniture, 30 per cent; wall
paper, 25 per cent; curtains, 40 per cent;
mirrors, 60 per cent; ornaments, 30 per cent.
Taxes on the wardrobe: Mems clothing of
wool, 4S per cent; wooden understands and
socks, rs per cent; cotton understands and
socks, As per cent; wooden hats, 70 per cent;
gloves, 60 per cent; blankets, 60 per cent;
wooden dresses, 20 per cent; alpaca, 90 per
cent; scissors, 40 per cent; pins, 40 per
cent; penknives, 50per cent; needles, 25 per
cent; ink, 20 per cent; paper, % per cent;
razor, 45 per cent. Tax on sundries: Cas-
tor oil, 102 per cent; CASTLE soap, 90 per
cent; common window glass, so per cent;
paint for the farm house, "a per cent; horse
shoe nails, 81 per cent; trace chains, 90 per
cent; a handsaw, 40 per cent; files, 40 per
cent? spool thread, 60 per ceut.; bagging for
grain, 40 per cent; burr stone, 20per cent?
combs and brushes, 80 per cent; alpaca UNI
brella, so per cent; any iron or steel the
farmer needs, As per cent; tin plate for can
ming meat and fruits, "a per cent; tin cups,
skimmers and all tinware, AZ per cent; barb
ed wire fencing, 55 per cent. These rates
not only raise the prices of imported articles
to the extent indicated, but also raise the
prices of all articles manufactured IN this
| country to a like extent The total tax thus
exacted from the people by the tariff is four
or five times the revenue of $217 ,000, 900 that
reaches the national treasury, or about
81 200, OOO, 900 a year. To whom does the
$500, ZOO, 900 GO? 1t goes to 1,4O0 sugar
planters, 1900 rice planters. $4,000 wool
growers, and 81, 127 manufacturers, making
an aggregate of 105,027 capitalists. The
number Of laborers employed by these capt.
talists in 1880 numbered 100000. The
census of that year showed 1882, 099
persons in gainful occupations, of which
number 3,S37,1l2 were in manufacturing,
mechanical and mining pursuits. When the
blacksmiths, carpenters and other whose oe'
equations cannot receive protection are ex-
cluded from the list, the total of persons in
protected industries is found, as stated above
to be only 1900, 900, and the beneiciaries of
the tariff but 105,027. But, if we assume
that the employees in protected industries do
profit by the tariff, still it can be shown that
the present rate is too high. The value of
carpets made in this country in 1880 was
S3l, 1872, 1902, the labor in which cost ST, $780,
2lS, or 2l.5 per cent. But the present tariff
rate on carpets is Al per cent, an excess OF
protection over the uOldi cOsb VI inc idpoi VI
25.5 per cent The Mills bill proposes to
make the rate 80 per cent, or S.5 per cent. in
excess of total cost of labor in any gwen
quantity of carpet. In WOODEN goods the per-
centage of cost of labor is 1871 per cent,
while the tariff rate is 70 per cent, and so on
through long list. Mr.. Macdonald gives
list of articles to show how much family will
save year by the passage of the Mills bill.
On stove costing S35 there will be saving
of SIS go; on crockery costing Sl2, saving OF
So 40; on "a worth of glassware, go centsi on
S27 worth of carpets, ST. on $40 worth of
sugar, 81; on $40 worth of molasses, 81 20;
on SO worth Of salt, 81 20; on two suits of
clothes each for father and two sons, costing
altogether S84, saving of 81 Sc, on two suits
each for mother and two daughters, costing
altogether $84, saving of S35 %; on $50
worth of shoes, 81 SO; on Sc worth of wool
hats, 81 90; on SIS worth of fur hats, 81 CO.;
on SIS worth of ladies' hats, SIS 40; on SIS
worth of bonnets, S. 40; on $50 worth of
farming tools, plows, chains, axe, saw, &c,
Sl4 60; on $40 worth of medicines, So so; on
Sl2 worth of blankets, So GO. Altogether
on an expenditure of $501 per year, the family
any family having that much to spend
would save $S4 90, which is enough to insure
the life of the head of the family for several
thousand dollars. Mr.. Macdonald concludes
that the proposition of the Mills bill to reduce
the tariff taxes on the necessaries of life
$50, 720, 447, and on tobacco in its various
forms S24, 455, 607, is a reasonable, sensible
and moderate measure, which every friend of
IL. L. 20