The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-28

4
ESSENTIAL. 10 AMERICAN rEvEI orNENT
end rational prosperity, Is based upon an exactly
opposite principle. y permits al articles OF
or the r9iue, eeSeeut Injuries only, which we can
not produaf frtGs United States 70 enter our ports
free and unbutdehed by custom house exacuons.
The duty is TO be imposed upon the foreign com
peting product. that SIS, the product winch, II
brought into this country, would contend with the
products of our own soil, own labor, and our
own factories in our own markets Under lIls
system If the foreign producer Wopiu enter our
market with competing product he must con-
tribute something for the privilege when ne Is 70
enjoy, and this something in the form OF duues,
voes into the treasury, furnishing revenue 10 the
Government; ana these duties operate to protect
me oiut product oflabor and capital against ike
Tbis mode Of lovying duties answers double
ourpoge. II produces revenue TO the government,
And I'd the same time fosters and encourages the
occupations OF our own people, promotes lhuustflai
development opens up new mines, bnildssnew FAC
tories and susans those already established when
in tuTn furnish einpioymehtto lhDor et aF ana re-
ynuneratiye wages. revenue tariff accompllshes
but single purposet2at OF raising revenue u has
no other mission; while q protective tarlH accom-
phshas this and moTe--it brings revenue TO the
american treasury and discflmnates in faYor OF
abe American citizen A revenue tariff invites the
product OF foreign labor and foreign capital to occu-
by markets free and unTestrained IN competition
with the product OF our own labor and capital
foreign labor and foreign capital which
are necessary 20 tho wants OF our peo-
plo (which we cannot produce in the United States
TO occupy ourmarketsan 20 untaxed 70 ne people
but Insists that every foreign product which ~ pro-
duced at home, or can pc successfully, III quhhtiueS
capable OF supplying the domestic consumption,
shall whenever necessary TO maintain suitable re-
wards to our labor, bear duty which shall not be
10 high as TO prohibit importatlons, but at Such
rate rs win produce the necessary revenues ana at
she same time not destroy but encourage American
hroduction II saws TO the world of producers IF you
Want 10 share with the citizens Of the United states
their home market you must pay for the privilege
of doing it. Your product shall not enter IA Tree
and unrestIained competition with the product OF
our own people. bul shall he Disseminated against
20 such an extent as to uly protect and defend our
GEoRGIA's STEPHENS.
Hon. Alexander stcphcus, Il distinguished citizen
OF your own state, and endeared TO the people Of
tho south stated on June o. 1882 the theory 30 well
that beg to quote from him
''Ihe best way to IA SO revenue Is by duties upon
gmports They bear less heavily on the tax payers,
Rud, rs legislators that is what VIC should look TO.
IN levyjng duties on imports you can at the same
slime make foreign producers pay for me use OF your
markets and in that way incidentally and properly,
give aid and protection 10 American industry. II IS
not true as a general proposition that the consumer
pays all the duty imposed uPon commodities
brought from other countries. TINS question that
] cannot argue In most instances, where the
duties udiciousy laid, they are borne partly by
the consumer and partly by the importer
ITO allow congress thu6 10 raise revenue by duties
upon imports was ono Of the main objects IN estah
1ishug the federal constitution of lisi THIS sys
fem III internal revenue taxation by excise aud
STAMP duties was not favored by the fathers OF the
republic In times of peace | speak plainly, and
say that It was looked upon then rs not only OF
British origin, but there WAS always the odlum OF
British toryism attnched to it in tho American
horrcni to the people Of this country even III their
colonial condition, than what was known us the in
famous stamp oct
TuE WHOLESOME EFFECT or COMPETITION.
1t Is alleged as serious objection to protective
duties that the tax Whatever IL may be, increases
thc cost OF the foreign well rs the domestic prod
uct 10 the extent Of such tax duty ana thht il is
wholly paid by the consumer This objection
would be worthy of serious consideration if It were
over and over again it is without foan
dalton in ihet Wherever the foreign product Inns
successful competition nj home the duty Is rarely
paid by the eonsumcr it's paid from the profits Of
The manufacturer, or divided between him and the
merchant, or the importer, and diminishes their
profits to tiRt extent, Duty or no duty without
home competition the consumer would fare worse
than lac fares now There If not In the long line OF
staple products consumed by the people Il single
one Which has not been cheapened by competition
OF home made possible by protective duties There
Is not an article that enters into the every day uses
of The family which Is produced in the United States
that has not been made cheaper audmore accessible
Re the result of home production and develop
maintenance OF tho protective system While this
is tine ot protective taris exactly the opposite is
true OF revenue tariffs They are always paid by
the consumer a duty put upon foreign product
the like of which is not produced at home, and
which enters our markets tree from home compe
tition the cost TO the American consumer Is oXaet
ly the foreign cost with the duty added whatever
that may be, much or little Supposing for exam
ple, there was tax upon tea and coffee. There
being 30 production ofthesa articles in the United
States, and therefore no competition here, the
cost to tho American public would be the
cost abroad and the duty added We imported
last year 626 $50 0o0 pounds OF coffee duty of ten
cents pound would have produced 20 the govern.
mcnt over s520040o0, which would have been paid
by the y 200 900 families OF this country consumers
ofthis article. Eightyseyen million five hundred
and oiEhtytour thousand pounds Of ten was inn
ported last year. AZ ten cents pound SS000000 and
upwards would have gone iuto the treasury, every
dollar Of which would have been paid by our own
people TAkoaugar, as another example We produced
last year in this country about eight per cent of
what Our people consumed. The duty collected
ffom imported sugar amounted to eos 900 900. The
domestic s
pared with The domestic consumption MS to have
had little, ifGny, app eeiabie effect upon the price
10 the consumer, and, therefore, this sum was al.
ram BY OUR OWN CITIZENS,
pnd the cost Of sugar 70 the American consumer,
because otthe inadequate home supply, IS practi-
ealy the foreign price, duty aided, the domestt
production hciug so small contrased with the do
nestle demand that Il in no wise controlled or in.
Hueuced the price
Tie price 10 Us is fixed by the 81 per cent which
game from abroad, Plus thc amount Of the duty col
leoted az The customhouse. Ii would have been
Otherwise iftho bulk ot orr consumption was pro
ruced at homo, Hyou take any American produe.
Hon which is large enough TO supply the domestic
demand the chcc, Is different Then the foreign
production must uHdcrscll 1 ne home production ia
order 20 set foot-hold i'm This market, and there
Tore the npoiuceF Is willing 10 surrender the
whole dl.ty, or considerable part of it, copscnung
60 less profits for the sake Of extending his markets.
with the hope Of ultimately destroying home com.
petition.
money TO supply the government needs We slouid
have thoughtful concern OF the industrial interests
Of the people we represent or disoarding every
other consideration, shall adjust or duties upon
the revenue principle 20 secure revenue, and reye.
uuC uUly.
The money mus, Doe raised, ard IN ralsius 81 the
protecuoNist IS minQil q. TIE interests OF our own
people, The tnriircoymer is considerable az every
body elses interest but orr own. / cannot
understand why amy patriotic citizen should pre-
fer revenue tHrtd 40 protective tariff l cannot
understand why So long rs t0Saion must be te-
sorted 60 tGnd nat VIII bc the case long gay-
erumeus exist q should not DC raised upon tho
Foreign article WhicA completes with the domestic
article. aud thus discriminate tn favor of our oWu
eeHinst the foreign fatUcf than to admit 60 equality
In our markets WntaXea, ana Ui1u equal terms with
our own producers, the products 81 oar foreign
rival
gAe protective system hHt luVokes the
HONEST LAW or NATURE,
th1t az self preservation, There Is every reason
founded ln justice. why The American producer
Shouted in every constitutional WAY he favored as
against the tnrcicu producer whose products com
pee vita ii.s Vis IS Uur natural market We
have made IT, We hRHc iua1e 70 aitcr a century OF
struggle. We have nlaio 20 ~ q cost OF capital and
krain and muscle We have preserved Il against
fofeign WAS aad domestic conflicts at
great sacrifice OF mcu and mooney The foreign
producer has contributed nothing 20 the growth
or development of the country. Whatever inAu-
ebce hc has oNcrcd has been against US aud TO our
Seiuucat. Axe has nothing IA common with us
Ike j without Che iursi elton of onI laws lie can.
NOS Do reached ~ ulV taNcathercr. He IS exempt
nom ai cif4 oblgaieus in every part OF the repub-