The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-08-16

The exalted point from which it regards these
petty financial transactions, calls to mind SIM
liar expressions of the Hon. Jacob Yost, the
other day, in Congress. He was advocating
tariff tax on that almost exclusive property of
the poor MANTLE clay pipe. The Democrats
wanted to admit them free in the Mills Dill,
and did il, too. But he wanted them taxed,
and as one of his reasons, give this
1.-The cost of the article to the consumer
is now at the lowest price within the
medium of our currency. namely, one cent.
per piece for those in most general use"
And why not? What possible hardship can
there be in taxing man Il cent on anything, If
that is the ''lowest price within the medium of
our currency" and why not two, which is only
one cent. more?- IatdicatOr.
Our neighbor gets strangely muddied
both in its facts and deductions. In the
first place the Mills bill does not admit
pipes free. Its orIginators designed to do so,
tion. The pipe schedule has not been
changed. Mr.. Yost designed to substi
tute specific for an ad valorem duty
and thus prevent the fraud of under
valuation which mas ruined the pipe bust
ness in this country. His proposition was
to place specific duty of rs cents per
gross on imported pipes. That would
have been but little over one and one half
mills per pipe. and it ac0atld not in dlsy pise
haze affected the retail pr1ce. Tie com
mon pipes would still have sold at a penny
piece, and the whole pipe industry would
have been transferred to this country.
whereas under the ad valOrem duty OF 35
per cent. So 100ths of all the common clay
in vi inn oI FHhic
class of goods represents nothing but clay
and labor. The clay can be had for the
digging and labor subsequently employed
costs over double as much IL Virginia as
it does across the water. aud for this sole
reason the Virginia factory is closed and
the foreign article has taken possession
of the market. The pipe schedule fairly
illustrates the tariff subject. If the Yin
dicdtor's theory is right and 'the custom
house of1icer'' is able TO distinguish
"sturgeonn from herring" then the
adoption Of Mr.. Yost's proposition would
have meant decrease of the duty. He
proposed to place a specific duty of one
and -one- half mills on each pipe. The
oIlllo blil ihIpOoCo al oo fdlcl buby VI
30 per cent. If the pipes are worth one
cent each, then the Mills bill fixes the
duty at three and half mills, or over
double that proposed by Mr.. Yost.
So much for the theory. Practically
MIR. Yost's amendment would have af-
forded substantial protection, and was all
the pipe makers asked. whilst under the
ad yalorem duty although nominally dou-
bic the proposed specific, the entire bust
ness in this country has been almost
ruined. The reason is plain. The frauds
of differentiation in the custom house.
which could not be practiced were the
duty specific, have flooded the markets
with these pauper made goods and closed
the domestic factories. And yet when
the vote was taken on Mr.. Yost's amend
ment every man who voted against it was
Democrat, and like the Vindicdtor. is
now bowling that clay pipes COS, third
more because of the Tax" Had they
been honest in their professions they would
have jumped at proposition which &C
cording to their theory, would have re-
duced this tax one half.