Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-09-05
Origin Of the Tariff.

The Milwaukee Journal, gives the
following interesting scrap of history,
showing the origin of the word tariff,
now used to designate import taxes on
articles coming into a country subject
to duty. 1t is a singular chapter in
American history, not often read and,
.or this reason, we call attention to it
Some six hundred years ago the
Saraccns, or, as we call them, the Mo-
hammedans, dominated the Meditcr-
ranean sea. Algiers WAS their capital,
in connection with Tuis. Near Gil
braltar they seized upon Il port named
Tarifa, and from this levied tribute
on all commerce entering the sea. At
first, like true pirates, they took both
ships and cargoes, but finding that
shut off the trade, gradually reduced
their levy TO twenty-five per cent. On
these terms for several generations
ship captains committed with what
was commercial brigandage, and
bought right to trade by paying
tribute for the privilege. What re-
conciled them to this was that when
they sold goods left them they added
robbery to the price, and thus trans
ierred the blackmail paid to their pat
rons to the purchasers.
This system put nearly all Europe
and part Of Africa under control of
pirates, who robbed at their pleasure,
and the name of the tribe has very
properly been transferred to our pro-
tectivc system. AS this paper has
many young friends and patrons, we
wish to call their special attention TO
the first war the United States ever
engaged in, unless with Indians,
nearly century ago. 1t is usually
designated as the Algerine war, or war
with Tripoli. The corsairs of Tarifa
captured several OF our ships, and i'm
prisoned their crews for refusing to as
sist in protecting Algerine home in
dustry. This aroused Congress to re-
sist the protective system of northern
Africa. Commodores Bainbridge and
Preblc were sent with fleet, and at
the muzzles of their cannons, in about
two years persuaded the rulers of AL
giers that a new power had risen
which refused tribute to any one for
the right to navigate the seas. Eng
land soon after joined in and after a
terrific bombardment of the capital
and considerable bloodshed, the pirates
repealed their tariff laws.
What specially marked the era was
that ut the masthead of all our ships
iloated flag with the inscription
&" Free trade and sailors rights" "Re-
strain not commerce." said Patrick
Henry, the greater orator of the revo.
luton, land it will return upon the
four wings of the wind to help the
land with plenty" Acting on this
wise craftsmanship up to 1860, this
country had the greatest commercial
marine on the globe, and then it
copied the Algerine system it had so
bravely fought.
The pirates only levied a tax OF
twenty-five per cent, and now our
tariff calls for tribute from labor OF
All per cent, which the Mckinley bill
increases to over fifty. We hire
foreigners to do all our carrying trade,
just as Europe hired the Venetians
and Genoese when Tarifa was in full
bloom. Adopting the plan and even
name that pirates used centuries ago
to cover the robbery of the industries,
we are reaping the same result; few
more millionaires; millionaires in
poverty. In vain do men toll when
laws are so contrived that only the
rich reap the harvest. The sweat of
the poor mans brow cnriches only the
fields OF the oppulent. They who do
all the hard work receive the beggar's
crust. Half they earn is stolen from
them by their proiligate lie of protect
ing their industry.