Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-05-30

i
one hundred and two per cent. in
place OF eighty-seven per cent, or fiji
teen per cent. more.
All wool cashmeres now pay an
average duty of eighty per cent. Add
the importers and retailing profits,
and when they reach the consumer
the tax is one hundred per cent. The
bill now before Congress proposes to
increase this duty about ten per cent.
more, making the tax one hundred
and ten per cent.
Fancy 1annels for lawn tennis suits,
waists and shirts, nov pay duty OF
seventy-five per cent. With the inn
porter's and retailers profits added,
one hundred per cent. Congress pro-
poses to increase the duty by 33 per
cent, making the tariff on those goods
133 per cent
Silk-warp Henriettas now pay fifty
per cent. 1t is now proposed to in
crease the duty to sixty per cent.
Is it just for any class of American
citizens to receive bounty OF one
hundred per cent. for doing business
when ninety-fve per cent. of our
citizens receive no bounty at all?
Does not this SAVIOR of discrimination
in favor OF few against the many,
and does it not look very much like
class legislation in favor of a privileged
minority? Our agriculturists sell
what they produce in the markets of
the world, and the prices which the
foreigner is willing to give for what we
export makes the market price for
what is consumed at home.
The following are among the very
large list of articles which are heavily
taxed by the tariff and which are not
produced in this country, never haye
been produced, and possibly never will
be produced, because climatic and
other conditions prevent.
Linen goods of all classes Except
common crasD pay thirty-five per
cent, and when they reach the con-
sumner the tax is forty-fve per cent.
The present bill before Congress pro-
poses to increase this tax five per
cent. more.
Linen han'kerchiefs, which are not
and never have been produced in this
country, pay thirty-fivc per cent. at
the port OF entry, or forty-four per
cent. when sold to the consumer.
Wool veilings, which are not pro.
duced in this country, pay a tax of
fifty per cent, and in the consumers
hands this tax is increased to sixty
five per cent. by the intermediate
profits as previously stated.
Embroidcries, which are not pro-
duced in this country to any appreci-
able extent, pay forty per cent. Add
the importers and retailers profits,
the tax reaches the enormous amount
of fifty per cent. The same figues
apply to cotton velvet and many other
articles of general use among the
masses.
See the disadvantages of our farmers
compared with those of foreign coun-
tries. Certain styles of common dress
goods, which are imported largely into
this country, cost in England and
France thirteen cents a yard. The
same goods, with duty added, cost in
this country twenty-five cents per
yard. The farmer in England and
France gets for his wheat one dollar a
bushel. Our farmers west of the
Missouri river obtain for their wheat
about fifty cents bushcl. In other
words, our farmers pay almost twice
as much for what they buy as
the foreigner. and they only receive
fifty per cent. as much for what they
sell. Can it be possible that our rep.
resentatives and senators in Congress
are aware of these facts? And if they
are, will they dare to still further in
crease taxes to the extent proposed?
Previous to the meeting of the last
Republican convention in June, 1888,
the Chicago Tribune, in a very power
full editorial article, asked the ques-
ton: "Who will speak for the far
mer?" The convention met. 1t spoke
for the politician and for the manu-
facturer, and for everybody but the
farmer, and that great, patient indus
trious, loyal, docile class of our coun-
try was left unrepresented. In the No
vember following, with pathetic do
cility the farmer voted according to
his old beliefs for protective" pol
icy which is little short OF robbery.
Not many weeks ago congressional
committee was appointed to take testi-
mony concerning the workings of the
present tariff. The accounts of that
investigation seem to indicate that
nobody was invited to testify except
the manufacturers. The merchants
were not represented. The great un-
protected class who pay nearly all the
taxes were unrepresented, and the
beneficiaries of this enormous system
OF taxation represented themselves.
The result is seen in the present bill
which is before Congress. And what
sight it is. Self-interest in the halls
OF the capitol testifying in its own be-
half. The collectors of the taxes
clamorous for more. The payers of
the taxes apparently indifferent or
ignorant of what is going on.
The present tariff having continued
in operation nearly twenty-seven years,
it is high time that our infant indus
tries should have placed themselves in
a position where they will require less
rather than more tariff, as they are