Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-05-19


nue. and tariff for "protcctlon.n
A tariff for revenue "a contemplated by
the constitution should be leveid on
goods not produced in our country,
In such a manner a. 20 encourage importation,
for with given tariff the more importation the
more revenue This policy has no fayorites.
II Is only burden on those who use the i'm
ported goods but every cent which the people
pay goes into the public treasury. A ''pro-
tectiye" tariff Is a duty levied on such goods as
are produced In our country, and IN such
manner as TO discourage importation, for the
more importation theless ''protection.p Tariff
for revenue means a tax imposed on those who
use the designated imported articles, In sum
proportional TO the per cent tax on the amount
consumed, for public good; while 'protec-
tive" tariff means tax imposed on all who
use domestic goods, for the benefit Of private
interest.
Now all admit that "protectiye' tariff aids
the protected" How, except that IL aids him
In establishing price for his goodsi II tariff
aids him in establishing a selling price, such
aid must be proportional TO the rate per cent
Of the tariff. If not, why not have a low as
well as a high tariffl II 45 per cent. tariff
does not aid the home makers As per cent. in
establishing prices, why do they threaten, and
bride, and weep and howl about small pro-
posed reductions II these wards OF the law
are not robbing the people on their necessaries
under this As per cent. tariff, why do they grow
liyld with rage and trcinble with fear at the
slightest whisper Of reducing iti IL they have
not increased the price Of these goods vastly
under this system, why do they threaten the
people witha terrible scourgc OF .tcheap goods'
in case their monopoly is crippledi II the
tariff has not increased their prices, how could
its reduction or even removal decrease their
pricesl
The cost Of 'protection" to the people viii
be argued in another chapter, but in dis
cussing the practical operations Of the policy
desire 10 show the reader how he may determ-
inc that cost, by showing him how he may
know when the full tariff is added TO the sell
ing price Of domestic goods. A glance over
the schedule in the next chapter, viii show the
many articles imported and the average tariff
All these classes Of imported goods are in our
market, and domestic goods of like class are
being sold at the same price. On all these
domestic goods, then, the full tariff must be
added to make this competition possible.
For instance, It cost 5000 per ton TO make
Besserner steel in England and in the United
States, with a tariff Of sl7.0O per ton on Eng
| lish steel. As the English don't work for
amusement, and as it cost at least $500 per ton
transportation, commission, etc, this article
| could not be sold in our market for less than
5000 per ton, plus the sl700 tariff, plus the
500 transportation, etc, equal S42.0 90 per ton
! plus the desired profit; this profit TO be based
/ on the entire cost in our market Notice this
| $500 per ton transportation, etc, amounts to
% per cent. natural protection. II transpires
! that the American steel makers ean-and on
! different occasions haye-not only added the
| $500 per ton tariff, but the Sj.O0per ton trans
/ pOrtatiun, ETC., and sold at this $500 per tor
! without competition. As it will be observed
that this would leave no profit, the English
leave the market, so while the people would
pay the advance, there would be no revenue
! Bat let the home maker raise the price q
5000 per ton, so as TO leave Ss.00as margin
and imported steel will be competing in the
market. This is called incidental protection
but II partakes so much of the nature of ar
exclusive privilege or monopoly that thesI
Bessemer steel combinations, TO hold these ex
orhitant prices, guaranteed by $500 per tor
tariff, paid the Vulcan mills at st, Louis $500,
600 TO close up and keep STILL"
Or to further illustrate: Suppose It cost Mr.
Wise co cents and Mr.. Ames so cents apiece t.
make spades In England and the United State
respectively, with tariff Of ten cents per spade
and an annual consumption Of a half million
spades. Wise would furnish the entire suppl.
at say 20 cents per spade. Result
10000 spade users buy 100000 spades at 4
cents each, or S375, 900; and $4,000 goes int
the treasury as duty. Ames can't sell spade
but wants TO badly, so he asks for ''incidenta
protection That is he wants the government
10 help him rob the spade users. Congress
raises tariff to p cents per spade and Mr.. Anne
marks HIS spades Sl.00 each; the full tariff be
added to the previous cost Of the article.
Result; Half million spade users buy 500 90
spades at sl.OO, or S50O, 600 of Ames and Wis
about equally. Treasury gets SCI, 800; spad
users lose Sl25, 600; Ames makes $4,000. II
saws stimes are good.m He believes in ''prC
lection 20 American industry, . and wants NOR
Of It. He goes to Washington in 'the interes
Of the laboring man''-not the spade user--an
by iudicious expenditure of argument, IAN
by putting some OF his valuable stock ''wher
Il win do the most good he has the tariff o
spades raised TO S10O each. lie raises tn
price to $3.50 per spade. Result: 10000 spad
users buy 10000 spades at Sl.50. Wise
driven out Of the market, as his spades, eostin
60 cents plus sl.OO tariff, equal LEO. He cannC
sell at the price established by the other con
petitor. Result; Spade users buy $4,000
spades at sl.50, or s75O,0 a net loss Of 1915
900; the treasury gets no revenue, but Anne
'hy close attention TO business, has made oy,
a quarter Of million. He is confirmed in b
devotion to''proteetion TO American industry.
The privilege granted TO fayorite by Il
"people's representatives to demand half
dollar each from half million shoyelers,
certainly valuable franchise, and the marb
: palace OF this liking of spades' win excite Il
admiration of the unthin1ing, aud will
pointed to as the ''reward for enterprise ar
, Industry but were all the tears OF sorro
caused by this grinding monopoly gathered
the silent heavens and hurled from the clou'
on its ponderous masonry, the deep found
tIons would yield before the mighty torren
aud drive the pampered children of luxury ms
with alarm.