Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-12-27

When a famous Duke of Richmond
heard many years ago that many per-
sons in Ireland were starving, he said in
the most perfect good faith: "Why don't
they use curry powder? That's what
always take when I feel hungry and can
not get anything to eat" He was I'M
consciously using strong protectionist
argument When people in this coun-
try at the present time want imported
cornstarch, they have to pay an ad
valorem duty Of 65A per cent. But they
can get curry powder free.
There are many other curiosities on
the free list which show that the tariff,
as it now is, falls most heavily on the
poor and most lightly on the rich.
The statesman whose appetite has to
be stimulated by the famous Strasbourg
pie of geese livers. has only to pay an
advance of 25 per cent. and the United
States custom authorities let him have it.
But if he were poor man and wanted
plain rice for his hunger he must needs
pay 106'per cent. of an advance for it.
Two substances in this world have
pronounced odors which once felt are
never forgotten. Who can forget the
sickeningly sweet smell of altar of roses?
A single drop will stay on handker-
chief even after it has passed through
the laundry. Even the inferior varie-
ties of it sold in this country cost the
colored dandy about ten cents drop for
the laudable purpose of increasing his at
effectiveness with dusky bellies Altar of
roses is ON the free list.
There is a smell, not perfume, IA
miliar to all those who were not born
grown up. 1t is nauseating, disagree
able smell, with oceans of possibilities
behind it. 1t comes to us consciously
after the first Christmas or birthday
party. If we thought we were sick be-
fore, we are sure Of it as soon as that
horrifying odor reaches our nostrils. 1t
is castor oil!
Yet this is one of the most useful and
valuable remedies ever used by physi-
clans. When the duty on quinine was
repealed, it was awewedly on the ground
that the public gain would more than
suffice for any private loss engendered
thereby. But three or four manufacto-
ries in the United States make cold drawn
castor oil, and the industry must be pro-
tected. One would say that half as
much more again as the dreadful medi-
cine costs in Europe would be enough
protection. But no, it takes duty of
1870 per cent, on imported castor oil to
keep those three or four factories alive.
Would it not be cheaper 80 buy these
manufactures outright and allow the
chilsSen of the country to have natural
res-Scion after their parties, free from the
carking care of cost?
An old fable tells what happened when
the nail was lost from the horses shoe
The story was not laid in America, other
wise there would have been more excuse
for the rider. The duty on horseshoe
nails is fixed at modest 1903 per cent
On the other hand, if man wants gold
studs he has only to pay an import duty
of 25 per cent.
The great wisdom of the nations con-
gress has been pleased to place duty of
10 per cent. on imported potatoes. This
tariff acts in a very erratic manner. In
the great majority of years our farmers
grow enough potatoes for all uses, and
sell them sufficiently cheap to defy
foreign competition, handicapped as it is
by the addition of freight charges But
once in a while the potato crop here is
failure. Then farmers and every one
else want them. They get them, of
course, from Labrador, Germany and
Scotland, but for every dollars worth
that enters the country duty of fifteen
cents is sternly enacted to swell the
already overlooking surplus in the treas
ury.