St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-08-30

pound would have produced to the govern
ment over $4,000. 900, which would have
been paid by the II O00 600 families of this
country, consumers of this article. Eighty
seven million five hundred and eighty
four thousand pounds of tea were import
ed last year. At 10 cents a pound S. O0O,-
600 and upwards would have gone into the
treasury, every dollar of which would
have been paid by our own people. Take
sugar as another example, We produced
last year in this country about s per cent.
of what our people consumed. The duty
collected from imported sugar amounted
to S5S, 900, 600. The domestic production
was so 1nconsiderable as compared with
the domestic consumption as to have had
little, if any, appreciable effect upon the
price to the consumer, and therefore this
sum was almost wholly paid by our own
citizens, and the cost of sugar to the
American consumer, because of the made
quate home supply. is practically the for
eign price, duty added, the domestic pro-
ducrion being so small, contrasted with
the domestic demand, that it in no wise
controlled or influenced the price.
The price to Us is fixed by the 90 per
cent. which came from abroad, plus the
amount of the duty collected at the Gus
tom house. 1t would have been otherwise
il the bulk of our consumption was pro-
duced at home: 1t you take any American
production which is large enough to sup
ply the domestic demand, the effect is diff
ferent. Then the foreign production must
undersell the home production in order to
get foothold in this market, and, there
fore, the foreign producer is willing to
surrender the whole duty, or a consider
able part of it, consenting to less profits
for the sake of extending his markets,
with the hope of ultimately destroying
home. competition. The real question,
therefore, is whether, in raising money to
supply the governments needs, we should
have thoughtful concern of the
INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE
we represent, or, discarding every other
consideration, shall adjust our duties upon
the revenue principle to secure revenue, and
revenue only. The money must be raised,
and in raising it the protectionist is mind
full of the interest of our own people.
The tariff reformer is considerable of every
body else's interest but our own. 1 cannot
understand why any patriotic citizen
should prefer revenue tariff to a protec
tive tariff. 1 cannot understand why, sc
long as taxation must be reSOrted to-
(and that will be the case SO long as gov.
ernmentS exist it should not be raised up-
ON the foreign article which completes
with the domestic article, and thus dis
criminate in favor Of our own and against
the foreign, rather than to admit to equal
ity in our markets untaXed, and upon
equal terms with our own producers, the
Ol our 1OEGlSH IlVdlS.
The protective system but invokeS the
highest law of nature, that of self preser
walton. There is every reason, founded in
justice, why the American producer
should in every constitutional way be fay
ored as against the foreign producers
our natural market. We have made it.
We have made it after century of strug-
gle. We have made it at u cost of capital
and brain and muscle. We have preserv-
Cd IvaCf flrn d.
conflicts, at great sacrifice of men and
money. The foreign producer has contri-
buted nothing to the growth or develop
ment-of the country. Whatever influence
ne has exerted has been against us and to
our detriment. He has nothing in COM
mon with US. He is without the jurisdic-
ton of our laws. He cannot be reached
by the taXgstherer. He is exempt from
all civil obligations in every part of the
republic. We can make no requisition
upon him, either in peace or in war Our
mode of reaching him is through the pro-
duct be would send to our markets. We
can demand of him that his merchandise
shall make contribution to our treasury il
he would enjoy the use of our markets.
We can make him serve us in no other
way.
In the case of revenue tariff, as I have
pointed out, his product never bears the
borne by our own people, and in no " wise a
shared by him. This principle of caring
for our own is founded upon the highest
authority, human and divine. 1t com.
mences with the family, extends up
through the the community, to the State,
and at last to the nation. There is no city
in the country in any section that does
not invoke this principle in the admins
ton of municipal government for the pro-
lection and
ENCOURAGEMENT OF ITS OWN CITIZENS.
The inierant vender is taxed in every
city of the land. If he would expose his
wares upon the streets of Atlanta at pub
lie auction doubt not the city government
compels him to pay tax for the privilege
of doing it, and that tax is added to the ordi-
nary revenues of the city to assist in meet
ing its obligations. Now, why is this
done Upon exactly the same principle
that we tax the foreign competing product
under the system of protection. tits done
to protect and defend the resident mer-
chants of your city, who are with you al
WAYS, within your Jurisdiction, subject to
your laws, contri buting to the wealth and
progress of YOU. city, paying taxes to
adorn and beautify it, paying taxes to sup
port your public schools and make public
improvements. The itiuerant Vender has
no such relation to your community. He
is no part of your political organism. He
comes and goes he is not taxpayer; he
shares in none of the burdens of your peo-
Pile; he is a free trader; who looks upon
your market as much his and as open to
him as to your own tradespeople. Your
city government taxes him to diminish
the burdens borne by your own citizens.
This is protection, simply and pure, and is
the exact character of that which we
would apply to foreign nations seeking
our markets. Our fathers recognized this
principle. It was emphasized in the
second act ever passed by the Congress of
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