The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-07-13
A YEARLY TAX OF 80 PER CENT.
Why Our Exports Of Agricultural Pro.
ducts Are Rapidly Declining.

Why Our Exports Of Agricultural Pro.
| ducts Are Rapidly Declining.
Our exports for 1881 were valued
at $SS3,925,947; in 1883 they had
dwindled to $3.50, S62, 10i.
! Our surplus agricultural products
exported dwindled from $3.50, 304, "a:
in 1881 to 00,S40,0S6 in 1881
The total decrease was $l90,063.
S43' while the decrease in agricul
tural products was $229,554,S57
There was an actual increase in til,
exports of other products by $50,
49l OLA, so that the whole loss fell
upon agriculture
Vast areas of the public domain
have been opened up to settlement
during the past seven. years. -Four
new States have been admitted. TIL,
population has increased, but not sc
fast as the means of production by
new and approved methods alone
without counting the millions Of
acres added. What is the reason
for this decline of nearly one-third
in the exports of agriculture.
The average yearly tan Of 80 pc,
cent levied upon t. This alone.
It'makes not the slightest differ,
ence to the farmer whether his Gov
eminent levies an export tax of &c
per cent. upon his wheat going out
of the country, or whether his Gov.
eminent waits until he is paid and
seizes 30 per cent of his payment
when it comes into the country.
1t makes not the slightest differ.
ence to the farmer whether he ships
his grain direct to Liverpool and i'm
ports his payment as return cargo,
or whether he sells to the middle
man of his nearest town and thous-
and agents perform the work
through thousand by-paths OF
trade and commerce. The result is
the same.
He must either pay the average
tax of 30 per cent. directly when he
imports his payment, or have it
deducted from the price of his pro-
duct when some one else buys it for
export intending to import the pay
ment BY no subterfuge can he
avoid this average tax of 30 per cent.
The tariff is not to be evadcd by
him.
1t is true that he may load his
ship with grain and exchange il in
Liverpool for its value in amber
beads or live snails, which are on
the free list and may be imported
without tax; but if he exchanges it
for white lead, wire, castor oil, rice
or baking soda, his whole return
cargo will be seized and he will be
sued for the balance due the gov
eminent, for the tax on them is
more than he paid for them, over
100 per cent. If he takes steel rails,
salt, starch,s tobacco, varnish, or
secured wool, he will have rem
nant left ranging from 2 to Ii per
cent. The Government only takes
SO to 9S per cent. as its tax. No
body wants the amber beads or
snails, he cannot make the others
pay, so he lets the middlemen settle
it, and after all their exchanges are
settled up there is an average tax Of
30 per cent. to pay on what he ex-
ported or on his payment for what
he exported.
Our imports are the payment we
receive for our exports.
Our agricultural products export
ed have dwindled from 81 per cent
of the whole amount in 1860 TO 70
per cent. in 1888. Then, in 1888,
only 70 per cent. of the imports
were, by and large, in payment Of
agricultural products exported.
The tax levied at our custom
houses ON imports, 1883, was $513,-
509,S0l. As 70 per cent. was in
payment for agricultural products
exported, the tax on the farmers
was
$155,S62, 154,47.
Every dollar of this tax the farm
ers of this country paid on the small
amounts of goods taken in exchange
for their exported agricultural pro
ducts. 1t was tax levied ON their
grain fields. They were the last in
the chain, and had no one To REIN
burse them. Every one else passed
the tax along. The farmer paid it.
1t took % hard earned dollars out of
the pocket of each farmer in the
land to do it; or to be absolutely
accurate, $22 which he had earned
were not paid him, but withheld
He was $22 short and compelled to
give receipt in full.
This tax is not needed. 1t is not
levied for revenue. 1t is imposed
solely to protect an aristocracy,
numbering less than $4,000 mill
owners, from the competition of
American farmers.
What the farmer imports in pay
ment for his exported grain enters
into direct competition with what
is made in their mills. What they
make is not taxed. What the far
mer buys abroad with his grain is
taxed 80 per cent. The mill owners
untaxed manufactures and the farm
er's 80 per cent. taxed manufactures
are sold in the same market at the
same price. There rs even now the
keenest competition between the
manufacturer and the farmer to
supply the "home market" with
what it requires, but the farmer
would make all the profits and the
fortunes if the manufactures were
not protected from him by this tax
The manufacturer, controlling
Congress and the Republican party,
has imposed upon all surplus farm
products exported an average tax
of 30 per cent, but is only collected
on the payment, when it comes into
the country and enters into compe-
tition with mill work. He wants
to drive 100000 farmers off the
farms leaving only enough to sup
ply the United States, and to limit
the American market; but it is not
probable he would-be content with
that or with less than the total ruin
Of our farming interests and the
purchase Of grain abroad with his
surplus manufactures.