The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-09-21


Democratic ticket because of its attitude
on the Tariff The present Protective Taritf
has been pronounced by the L. s. Supreme
Court ''robbery.' The Democratic party
says: Quit robbng the people" The
Farmers Alliance says: ''Qnit robbing the
people" We are prepared to give a rea-
son for the faltl: that IS III us.-EDITOR.
THE TARIFF AND THE EVILS
THEREOF.
Speaker Carlisle in Bedford's Magzne.l
1t is singular fact that even in this
age of philosophical speculation and prac
| teal knowledge there are men in the front
| ranks of literature, politics., and business
! who seriously contend that the govern
ment can make its citizens rich and pros
! porous by taxing them. If these gentle
men should attempt to convince the public
| that the farmer could be made more pros
| porous by increasing the tax on his land,
| or that the manufacturer could be bene-
| fitted by compelling him TO pay a high rate
/ of taxation on his machinery or his in
/ come, the abSurdity of their position would
! be so apparent As TO excite universal rldl-
/ cule; aud yet such propositions would be
no more absurd or unreasonable than the
assertion that the prosperity Of The people
! generally can be increased by imposing
! taxes upon their food, their clothing, their
| building materials, their means of trans
/ portatiOn, and the tools and implements
| used in their industries. Taxes do not
/ create wealth; they destroy it. All taxa
4 ton, whether it be direct or indirect, and
40 matter how it may be disguised or in
/ what manner its payment may be enforced,
/ is ultimately a charge upon labor; while
/ its Immediate and variable effect l. to
/ withdraw the full amount of the exaetion
! from the productive industries of the pee
pie When it is equitably imposed for
! public purposes only, and its proceeds are
! honestly used in defraying the necessary
! expenses and meeting the ust obligations
of the government, all are equally benefit
ed, and no one has a right 10 complain;
butwhen tax is imposed upon one part
OF tie people or one class of industries
simply for the purpose of increasing the
profits of another part of the people or
another class of industries, or when tax
is so Laid that its necessary effect Is to in
crease the profits in some industries atthe
expense of others equally meritorious, the
| impollcy and injustice of the proceeding
are too obvious 70 require comrlent-
Let There BE No FavOriti>m.
Absolute equality III the adjustment OF
the rates of taxation and in the designa-
f
/ imposed is not to be expected, and, IN
fact is not attainabe; but substantial
equality and uniformity are essential ele-
| mentS in every just revenue system. 50 long
/ as the power of taxation Is exercised only
for the purpose OF raising revenue tor the
support Of the government, the principles
of equality and uniformity can be recog-
nized and enforced in a large degree at
least: but when the power Is perverted
and used to increase the profits OF private
individuals and prevent the collection OF
revenue by the government. II Is impOSsI-
bic to regulate its exercise by any rule or
principle except favortism and selfiShntSS.
In such a case equality and uniformity
would necessarily defeat the primary oo-
iect of the tax, because 1t is evident that
if all were compelled to pay equal tribute
to each other nobody would be benefited |;
and it is Just as evident that If all do not
pay equal tribute somebody must be cheat
ed. American industries by these
terms ! mean to include every honest and
useful ccupation-cannot be promoted
BY any system Of taxation or any policy OF
legislation which discrminates between
them and cOmpelS one to contribute p irt
of its own earnings to increase the profits
or prevent losses i'll another. There should
be no eXpatriated or prosecuted industries
: in this country. There should be no ran KS
or degrees among the legitimate occupa-
tions of the people, nor any road to the
favor or bounty of the government not
open to all alike. Mining and manu- ac-
turing, and the occupations dependent
upon them, are great and valuable indus
/ tries, and should be cherished and prOmOt
ed in every proper way. They afford EN-
ployment to many millions of capital and
many thousands of laborers, and the pro
ducts contribute largely to the wealth ard
, comfort Of the people; but they are not by
any means the only American industries
All Industries to be Considered.
In the households of the poor, in the
fields and forests. in the mines and tacto
ries in the stores and shops, on the rail
roads and canals and rivers, on the hlgi
s-eyervwhere, there are American IN
D dustries struggling with the mighty force,
of nature, and subduing, combining, an,
] utilizing the elements of the earth ant
the air; and any view of our industrial
: system which fails to comprehend all these
; necessarily leads to partial and errOneou:
n conclusions Taking that broad view o
, these various industries which cOmpr,,
t hends the smallest as we'll as the greatest
I and appreciates the interests of the whole
instead of a part only, 1t IS impossible t
understand how their growth and prosper
ity can be promoted by taxation in an,
form.
The Purchaser Pays the Losses.
1t is not difficult TO see how system
which prevents competition, and therefor
increases prices, may enable an individual
who has capital invested in a particula
; industry to realize profits instead OF suf
: fering losses, but it is manifest that TIL
) must always be done at the expense of tn
consumers of his products, who are also
:, as a general rule, engaged in industria
!, pursuits In every such case, the actua
= losses are precisely the same as if coInpeti
:, = ton had not been prevented and price
= had not been increased; but instead of be
ing borne by the individual who carrie
on the business, they fall upon the pun
chasers of his products, and are paid OF!
;, of the earnings in other industries. Th
. other indus, ries, therefore, not only max
good his losses, but pay him profit be
=, sides, thus giving him bonus for invest
"a % ing his capital and wasting his skill an
20 labor in an Improbable business.
> Our Infant Still Calls for Aid.
G. That taxation for protective purpose
d has resulted so far in a continuous vast
r of capital and labor in this country lG col
N clusiVely shown by the present condltio
ct of the so-called protected industries, an
IS by the history of our legislation on tn
it subject. The early advocates of the sys