The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-08-23

OF taxation furnishes an unmistakabIe |
example of the practice and princiDle |
OF q revenue tariff. Her import duties
are imposed almost exclusively upon |
articles which cannot be produced by |
ner own people upon her own soil. To-
Dacco, snuff, cigars, chickory, cocoa,
curran6S, hgs, raiSins, rum, brandy,
WINE, tea and cOffee-theSe are the ar
GlcleS 1rom which her customs revenue
Is derived articles in the main, not
produced in England, bat which must
be supplied from abroad; while practi-
caily all competing products of foreign
make or production are admitted
through her custom-houSes free of
duty.
A brief statement of the dutiable
imports of Great Britain will not be
without interest.
1t will be observed that her duties
are more largely imposed upon pecu-
liarly American products than upon
any others. The duty upon tobacco is,
according to moisture, from "a to %
cents per pounds for the raw or unman-
ufactured article, and if manufactured it
pays duty of from SI.O4 To SI.I6 per
pound. The manufactured article is
| made dutiable at 20 cents a pound
greater than the raw product, which.
with all England's boosted free tFsde,
| IS intended as protection to those en-
gagged IN the manipulation of tobacco.
1t Is almost prohibitive to Americans
who would export manufactured tobac-
co. The ad Valorum equivalent of the
duty on tobacco is nearly 1000 per
cent. Cigars pay duty of S1.32 per
pound, and from tobacco and snuff
over $43 ,OOO, 600 of duties are collected
annually. The duty on tea is II cents a
| pound. How would the Americans en-
| Joy paying such duty upon this arti-
Gle of every day useP The duty col
| lected from this source is over SIS, 000,-
OOJ annually. Coffee pays duty of 8
cents pound, but if ground, prepar-
ed, or i'll any way manufactured it
must pay duty of cents a pound
another example of where England
| protects those engaged in manufacture.
Cocoa pays duty of 2 cents pound,
but If it is in any form subjected to
manufacture it pays cents a pound,
the duty on the manufactured article
being double that on the raw material.
Besides the articles | have named,
there are about ninety or hundred
others, chiefly Of American production,
patented AID other medicines, which
are dutiable at 3.36 per gallon. More
than S96 ,O00, 900, or nearly one-fOurth
of the British revenues, are raised
from customs duties.
You will note the character of taxa
tiOn to which the revenue reformer in
| ViteS the people of the United States.
Both the breakfast table and the sick
room are made to bear a large part or
the burden under the British system
of taxation. 1t is not without signifi-
canoe that the nearer we approach this
system the more generous the bestOW-
al of British commentator. Every
step we take in this direction. every
enlargement of the free list of foreign
products, every reduction OF duty upon
such products is hailed as VindicatiOn
of Golden and a beneficence to British
interests. 1t is in vain for the British
statesmen to assure us that their SyS-
tenn is best for us. We are not accuS-
toned to look to our commercial rivals
for diSintereSted faYOrS. lit is folly, y
said Washington in his farewell adj
dress, lin one nation to look for diSin-
terested favors from another; that it
must pay with a portion of its indie
pendeDce, for whatever it may accept
under that character. There can be
no greater error than to expect or cal
culate upon real favOrs from nation t.
nation. IL is an illusion which eXper-
fence must cure and which a just pride
ought to discard" We are not, Mr..
President, inSenSible to the good opin-
ion of mankind and of the English
speaking race, but when it IS TO be had
Il only at the expense of our industrial
. independence of labor and the de-
struction of national prosperity, we
must regard it with supreme suspicion
and turn from it as the eulogy Of sell
fish interest and the cOmmendation OF
interested greed.
The other theory of taxation, and the
one which believe to be essential tC
American development and national
prosperity, is based upon an exactly Op
: posite principle. 1t permits all articles
, of foreign production, whether of the
field. the factory, or the mine, except
luxuries only, which we cannot produce
, in the United States, to enter Our ports
free and unburdened by custom house
eXactiOnS. The duty is to be imposed
, upon the foreign competing product
: that is, the product which, if brought
/ into this country, would contend will
the products of our own soil, our owl
9 labor, and our own factories, in our Owl
, markets. Under this system if the for
: eign producer would enter our marke
with q connecting product he must con
q tribute something for the prlVliegt
e which he is to enjoy, and this some
g thing, in the form of duties, goes int
Q the treasury, furnishing revenue to TIL
d government; and these duties operate
q to protect the joint product of labor ant
= capital against a like foreign product
g This mode of levying duties answer
d a double purpose. 1t produces reyenu
r to the government, and at the SAM
e time fosters and encourages the Occu
d pationS OF our own people, promote
!, industrial development. opens up new
y mines, builds new factories, and sus
II tains those already established, which
d in turn furnish employment To labor a
e fair and remunerative wages. A rev
D enue tariff accompliShes but singh
q purpOSe-that OF raising revenue; 1t ha
e no other mission; while protectiv
d tariff accomplishes this aud MORE
d brings revenue to the American treas
q ury and diScriminates in favor of tn
IS American citizen. a revenue tariff in
e vites the product of foreign labor an
q foreign capital to occupy our market
IT free and unrestrained in competitio
y with the product of our own labor an
e capital. A protective tariff invites tn
?, product of foreign labor and foreig
L capital which are necessary to tn
J. wants of our people (which we cannC
t; produce in the United Statesl to Oecup
v our markets and go untaXed To the pei
pie, but insists that every fore gn PROD
le uct which is produced at home, or ca
e be successfully. in quantities capabl
,, of supplying the domestic consumption
l. shall. whenever necessary to maintai
3 suitable rewards to our labor, bear
duty which shall not be so high as I
r prohibit impOTtations. but at such
r rate as viii produce the necessary rev
r enues and at the same time not destrO
y but encourage American production
l. It says to the world of producers, Il
you want to share with the citizens @
It the United States their home market
le you must pay for the privilege of doin
II it. Your product shall not enter
E. free and unTestrained competition wit
II the product of our own people, but sha
be Disseminated against to such al e.
* tent as to fully protect and defend OF
Fl own"
j. Hon. Alexander Stephens, a dis
y tinguished citizen of your own stat
ii and endeared to the people of th
III South. stated on June %. 1892, til
n theory SO well that beg to quote frol
ri THE best way to raise revenue is b