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

condition, than what was
known as the infamous stamp act"
1t is alleged as a serious objection to
protective duties that the tax, what
ever it may be, increases the cost of the
foreign as well as the domestic prod
and that it is wholly paid by the con-
sumner. This objection would be
worthy of serious consideration if it
were true, but, as has been demonstra-
ted over and over again, it is without
foundation in fact. Wherever the
foreign product has successful compe-
tition at home the duty is rarely paid
by the consumer. 1t is paid from the
profits of the manufacturer, or divided
between him and the merchant, or the
importer, and dlminishes their profits
to that extent. Duty or no duty,
without home competition the con-
sumner would fare worse than he fares
now. There is not in the long line of
staple products consumed by the peo-
pie q single one which has not been
cheapened by competition at home,
made possible by protective duties.
There is not an article that enters into
is produced in the United States that
has not been made cheaper and more
accessible as the result of home pro-
duction and development, which was
to be secured only by the sturdy main
tenance of the protective system.
While this is true of protective tariffs,
exactly the opposite is true of revenue
tariffs. They are always paid by the
consumer. A duty put upon foreign
product the like of which is not pro-
duced at home, and which enters our
markets free from home competition,
the cost to the American consumer Is
exactly the foreign cost with the duty
added, whatever that may be, much or
little. Surprising, for example, there
was a tax upon tea and coffee There
being no production of these articles in
the United States, and therefore no
competition here, the cost to the Amer
lean public would be the cost abroad and
the duty added. We imported
last year 500, 4S9 900 pounds of coffee.
A duty of ten cents pound would
$50 900, 600, which would have been
paid by the $4,000, 600 families of
this country, consumers of this article.
Eighty-seven million five hundred and
eighty-fOur thousand pounds of tea
were imported last year. At ten cents
pound Sc, 000, 900 and upwards would
have gone into the treasury, every dol
lar of which would have been paid by
our own people. Take sugar, as an
other example. We produced last year
in this country about eight per cent. of
what our people consumed. The duty
collected from imported sugar amunted
to S5S, OO0, 600. The domestic prOduc-
ton was so inconsiderable as compared
with the domestic consumption as to
have had little, if any, appreciate ef-
feet upon the price to the consumer,
and therefore this sum was almost
wholly paid by our own citizens, and
the cost of sugar, to the American
consumer, because of the inadequate
home supply, is practically the foreign
price, duty added, the domestic pro
ducer being so small contrasted with
| the domestic demand that it in no wisC
controlled or influenced the price.
The price to us is fixed by the 81 pei
cent which came from abroad, plus TIT
amount of the duty collected at thu
custom house! 1t would have beer
otherwise if the bulk of our consump
tion was produced at home. If yoI
take any American production which
is large enough to supply the dOmesti
demand, the effect is different. TheI
l the foreign production must undersel
| the home production in order to get
| fOothold in this market, and therefor
the foreign producer is willing to sur
render the whole duty, or a cOnsidera
BILE part of it, conSentIng t.
less profits for the sake O
extending the markets, with tn
hope of ultimately destroying hom
competition. The real question, there
fore, is whether, in raising money t
supply the government needs we shOult
have thoughtful concern of the indus
trial interests of the people we repre-
sent. or, discarding every other con
sideration. shall adjust our duties upo
the revenue principle to secure revenu
and revenue only. The money must b
raised, and in raising 1t the protection
ist is mindful of the interests of on
own people. The tariff reformer
considerate Of everyone else's interes
but our own. l cannot understan
why any patriotic citizen should pre-
fer a revenue tariff TO a protective tai
Tiff. l cannot understand that while 8
long as taxation must be reSorted
Gand that will be the case so long a
governments exist it should not b
raised upon the foreign article whic
completes with the domestic article
and thus discriminate in favor of GU
own and against the foreign, rathe
than to admit to equality in our maj
kets untaxed, and upon equal term
with our own producers, the product
of our foreign rivals.
/ The protective system but invoke
the highest law of nature, that of sell
preservation. There is every reason
founded in justice, why the America
producer should in every conSititT
tionai way be favored as against tn
foreign producer whose products con
pete with his. This is our naturS
market. We have made it. We hay
made it after a century of struggle
, We have made it at cost of capiti
J and brain and muscle. We have pr'
served it against foreign wars an
} domestic conflicts, at great sacrihC
of men and meney. The foreign PIT
Queer has contributed nothing to til
! growth or development of the country
Whatever influence he has exerted ha
been against us and to our detrimen
} He has nothing in common with III
/ He is without the jurisdiction of on
laws. He cannot be reached by tn
taxgatherer. He is exempt from a
: civil obligations in every part of th
republic. We can make no requisitio
upon him, either in peace or in wa
j Our mode of reaching him is throug
, the product he would send to on
, markets. We can demand of him tina
j his merchandise shall make conLribU
! ton to our treasury if he would enjo
, the use OF our markets. We can max
him serve US in no other way.
: In the case of revenue tariff, as
/ OOOS LIE RAO00OS AONCA OOcAA
the burden. Whatever we put upon
I is borne by our own people, and in n
wise shared by him. This principle O
caring for cur own is founded upon tn
: highest authority, human and divine
1t commences with the family, extend
/ up through the community, to til
state, and at last to the nation. Their
is no CITY in the country in any sectio
T that does not invoke this principle
the administI alton Of municipal COY
: erment. for the protection and encou
agement of its own citizens.
2 The itinerant vender is taxed j
3 every city of the land. If he wouI
] expose his wares upon the streets {
| Atlanta at public auction doubt NJ
? the city government compe1s him I
s pay tax for the privilege of doing j
) and that tax is added to the OrdinaI
l revenues of the city to assist in NEE
: ing its obligations. Now, why is tn
9 done? Upon exactly the same prime
f | pie that we tax the foreign competiI