Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-03-05
A Tax Called a Subsidy.

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addition to improvishing the people
and creating a brood of millionaires,
have destroyed American commerce
on the oceans. The manufactured
goods of this country, by reason of
their increased price, caused by the
protective tariff, can not be shipped
to foreign countries and sold in COM
petition with the goods of other coun-
tries, who import raw materials free
of duty
In order to revive this destroyed
American shipping, and to make it
profitable to the capitalists who invest
their wealth in ships and steamers for
the ocean traffic, the protectionists de.
mand that bounty of certain sum
per ton be given to ship owners who
send their vessels to foreign ports
This bounty is called subsidy, but
its real name is tax" and one that
will have to be paid mostly by farm
ers, mechanics, and laborers, whose
yearly earnings are small.
Thus we find the protectionists, af-
ter having become prosperous and
rich by means of the heavy taxes laid
upon the people, now propose to still
further tax the laborers to make their
vessel speculations successful. They
claim that they must have foreign
market for their surplus goods, and
the only way they can reach the de-
sired market is by placing additional
taxes on the people. The entire
thought of these protectionists seems
to be to devise new methods of rob-
bing the toiling and industrious mil
lions by the legalizcd plan of taxa
ton.
First they tax the people in order
that their investments in manufact-
ures and mines may prove immensely
profitable. A protective tariff is Gre
ated, which enables the protective bar
ons to raise the price of their pro-
ducts, and, from the profits thereof,
become immensely wealthy. Their
wealth is not the result Of honest toll,
industry, or legitimate business
Their wealth is derived mostly from
taxes imposed on the toiling millions.
These protected industries become
so profitable that their number is
largely increased. The people are
not able to buy all the goods made at
the prices asked. Trusts are formed
to prevent competition and the selling
of the manufactured goods at reason
able prices. The people of foreign
are not compelled to buy
these surplus goods, because they can
purchase better articles at lower prices
which are made in other countries.
In order that the protected manu-
facturers can sell their surplus goods
to the people of foreign countries, they
must sell much cheaper to them than
they sell to American people, and they
ask that the people of this country
be still further taxed so that their
speculations may prove SUCCESS
They propose to sell their goods to for
eigners at lower prices than they
charge the people of this country, and
the reduction in price of said export
ed goods is to be levied on the millions
of American farmers, mechanics and
laborers by tax known as subsidy.
They demand that American yes
sci owners be given bonus so that
freights can be carried cheaply, and
this bonus is to be paid by the people
in the shape of taxes.
Why should the farmers be obliged
to take portion of their scanty earn
ings and give it to the capitalists,
whose money is invested in vessels,
in mines and in manufactures 5? Why
should laborers, who do not earn $500
per year, be forced to contribute
large portion Of their earnings in
order that the speculations of CAPT
talists should be successful? Why
should the great mass of the people
be obliged to maintain few thousand
persons in opulencei Where is the
right in taxing heavily the many for
the benefit of the few?
If it is right to make the salt water
vessel business profitable one by
taxing the people to maintain it, why
is it not as right, and just, and fair,
to help the farmers and laborers by
taxes for their particular
benefit The business Of farming is
Just as honorable as the business of
owning vessels, and it is more necess-
airy. Then why not give the farmer
a bonus for every acre he cultivates
as well as give ship owner bonus
for each tonnage he owns?
Is it not time that the toiling and
industrious classes awoke to the fact
that they have been robbed enough ?
II tax is levied to support any in
dustry or business, that tax has got
to be paid by farmers and laboring
men, and they ought to cease such
ruinous business as taxing themselves
to death so that few industries may
flourish, and that a few persons NAV