Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-04-06
Tariff Universal.

The agent for large paper manu-
featuring company, who has just made
an exhaustive investigation of the
subject, says in his report.
Il fDd England to be the ouly
free trade conutry in tie world, aud
even there this is not strictly observ-
ed, as custom duties are collected on
various chemicals. gold, silver, fruits,
| jewelry, malt, liquors, spirits. tobacco
| playing cards, chicory, coffee, tea and
wine. The duties on American pa
per and kindred goods into European
countries are an interesting study, as,
for instance, Portugal, 81 10 per 100
kilos on paper, but Sl075 on same
weight in books printed ia Portu-
gQese. lteiy. Russia, Spain and Fur-
key alsc show this peculiarity in q
marked degree and in strong contrast
with Germany, France and Austria,
where books are entered free, thus,
countries having the lowest educa-
tional status impose the strongest re-
strictions on the means of improving
the condition of their people, Another
curious feature is the duty on printing
paper exacted by three countries
which touch each other, viz: Switzer-
land, SO; Germany, 50 SO; Italy, Sill
So.
Before | began looking into these
matters, had the the impression, in
common, | guess, with many others,
that the United States was the only
country where tariff was strictly
imposed; but such is not the case, as
besides the European countries nam
ed above, all the South and Central
American countries have their GUS
tom duties. The basis for collecting
duties in these various countries is
quite different. Our near neighbor,
Canada, collects custom duties as fol-
lows. Printed books seven years old,
also books for use in schools for deaf
dumb, free; other printed books, Is
per cent: religious books, per cent.
We hear great deal about the trade
awaiting the United States in foreign
countries, but, as stated recently in
leading free trade paper, the railroad
or the steamship line must always be
the pioneer in building up trade aud
commerce. In my opinion this
country is making many lines of
goods cheaper than any country in
the world, but when the government
refuses TO assist shipping, and our
carrying must be done in English
ships, subsidized and protected by
the home government to compete for
foreign trade, we should adopt the
plan set forth in the following able
words, written by one of my custo-
mers in reply to February letter.
"'If the United States at this day,
and with her capacity, is not able to
assert, maintain and hold her proper
position and Importance in the worlds
family, there is something wrong, and
that wrong should be corrected. If |
were the autocrat of the United
States, | should continue the tariff On
its basis for five years. and have it
distinctly understood that such was
the case | should then take one-half
the amount or surplus, Cat least, if not
more) subsidiZe steamship lines con-
Meeting with all parts of the world;
would encourage, aid and assist the
citizens of the United States in MAX
ing market abroad, and in other
words do for the United States and
its manufacturers just what q busi-
ness man with a broad business hori
zon would do in his own particular
line of trade. That is to say, first,
see how well | could make goods,
how cheap | could make them, and
then give my undivided attention to
making market for the same.'
"'There is to my mind no greater
probability and possibility of success,
development and great commercial
gain for the United States than the
carrying out of this idea, that is to
say, the trading with the whole world
as q market, the United States as a
producer, and what raw materials are
not found in the United States could
be brought back in on our own steam
ships, after delivering our own manu-
factures, and this way make profit
able on both trips and make money
On both deals.'"