The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-04-26
a CALL
TO THOSE WHO FAVOR TARIFF REFORM.

TO THOSE WHO FAVOR TARIFF REFORM.
A meeting of citizens, irrespective
of parties, who agree with the prin-
ciples contained in the following de-
claration, is hereby called for the pur.
pose of forming a branch of the
American Tariff Reform League.
Meeting will be held at the school
house in Bottineau, Saturday evening,
|2Sth April, 1888, at 8 o'clock, at
which time the purposes, plans and
details for local organization will be
made known. The following is the
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES:
Taxation for any other than a pub
lie purpose is robbery under the forms
Of law.
A protective tariff is of necessity
and by design discrimination in favor
of the few at the expense of the many.
A protective tariff does not confer
equal benefits or impose equal bur-
dens upon all.
Such industries only as are destroy
ers of wealth need the fostering care
of a protective tariff.
The periodical depressions, with
their concomittants Of discomfort,
waste and suffering are largely due
to a tariff system which attracts cap
ital into special industries, causing
overproduction and the evils result
ing therefrom.
The protective tariff has restricted
our commercial development, des-
troyed Il mercantile marine, cur
tailed II exports, provoked retail
atory measures, to the injury of our
agricultural interests, decreased the
profits of capital, reduced the wages
and limited the employment of labor.
The protective tariff has, through
the unequal distribution Of wealth,
fostered extravaganza, encouraged
perjury and other crimes, causing the
excessively rich to make such extrav-
agant expenditure for show as to lead
those desiring to keep up appearances
70 their standard, but financially UNI
able to do 50, to engage in the many
defalcations, embezzlements, ETC.,
which have been prevailing to such
an alarming extent.
The protective tariff was established
as a war measure; in time Of peace
all war measures should be abolished.
The few beneficiaries Of the protect.
I've tariff always have pretended it was
adopted for the protection IF labor,
while cheap ETopean labor comes IN free,
and the fact is it Expresses labor, by
imposing onerous taxes on what labor
consumes.
Under the plea of the genera
welfare" the protective tariff wa:
levied for the special welfare of it,
benefciaries.
The taxes on imports should be ex
clusively for revenue. 1.-The increas
ing and unnecessary surplus SHOULD
De released to the people by an amend
meut to the revenue laws which shall
cheaper the necessaries Of life, an,
give free entrance to such imported
materials as by American labor ma,
be manufactured into marketable
commodities" T eretore we demand
the continued reduction Of existing
import duties until the protective eie'
mcnt is eliminated.
We also demand that only so mucl
tax shall be imposed as will provide
ior the economical administration O.
the government.
We also demand that all duties or
imports shall be levied on luxurie:
exclusively, and that necessaries O.
the laboring man be admitted free.
We also demand the admission o
all raw materials free, that the Ameri.
can manufacturers may be thereb!
enabled to compete with nations like
wise favored.