Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-08-09

The republican party has ever been
and is now in favor of reducing the
tariff. 1t is not in favor of reducing
it in such manner as will injure the
interests of the people of the land,
but of reducing it in such manner that
it will yield sufficient revenue. and at
the same time protect the farming and
industrial interests of the country.
The democratic party proposes in the
Mills tariff bill to strike at the very
vitals of many of the industries OF the
United States. Wool, vegetables,
seeds, roots, fruits, and many other
agricultural productions are placed on
the free list. The duty on innumer-
able manufactured articles is reduced
to such an extent that foreign articles
will be thrown in competition with
our manufactured products to an ex-
tent that will force the reduction of
the price of similar articles produced
here, and ultimately drive them of
the market, as our manufacturers can
not possibly pay twice or three times
as much for labor as European coun-
tries, and compete with their prices
on goods. The object of the Mills
taliff bin is in some way to do away
with the surplus revenue yearly ac-
cumulating in the treasury. 1t would
not, if adopted, have that effect.
Rather, it would increase than dimia.
ish the revenue. If. under the exist
ing tariff last year, the United States
imported $6S3, 100000 of products.
and manufactures, sending that much
cash out of this country, how much, ),
under Il reduced tariff, would be i'm
ported 1t is safe to say from two|
to three times as much. For the ,pur-
pose of argument, take the lesser
number of this estimate. If the tariff
on a coat he now 81, and the coat
sell for so, and the tariff be reduced
one-half, or to 81, unsier the above
two coats will he imported
where one is now, and if the demo
cratic theory he correct that the tariff
increases the price just its amoant,
the price of the coat will he Sc. 00, and
two coats will be sold for *18, which
sum of money will be sent out of the
country, instead of $40, the price of
the single coat under the present con-
ditiOns. But how does this reduce
the revenue? Not whit Two dol
lars revenue have come in just the
same. and the surplus will be just the
same. How does it affect the Ameri-
can manufacturer and laborer? IT.
forces either the manufacturer to sell
at less profit, or the American lat-
orer to work ut less wages. The prof
it to the American and English man
it is fair to assume, as
matters now are, is about the same.
the Englishman, however can sell at
Il reduced price, because he pays only
one-half the wages paid by the Amer
lean. To maintain his profit the Am
erican must reduce wages, or he will
be forced to go out of business. What
does reduced wages to the laboring
classes mean to this country? 1t
means reduced prices to every indus
try in this country and particularly to
the farming population of the coun-
try. Reduced wages means reduced
it means utter stagnatiOn of
business of all kinds. The home mar
ket of the United States is many times
as great as any other it has. Do the
farmers of this country think for one
moment that European countries with
their paupcr labor will increase their
expectations from this country if we
reduce the tariff and thereby throw
open our markets to them? Hardly.
Does an American farmer think for
one instant that poorly paid labor can
or will pay as much for his products
as well paid labor? Hardly. Does
an American farmer believe that if
we now send ont of this country for
manufactured products $6S3. OOO, 900
annually, that it will relieve him any
to send out twice that amount an