Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-05-30
ON THE TARIFF.
A Chicago Dry Goods Merchant
Gives his Views on the Mckinley
Bill. He Shows How Little the
Farmer is Benefited by High Tariff.

Farmer is Benefited by High Tariff.
The Chicago Herald prints the fol-
lowing:
James H. Walker, the head of the
big Chicago dry goods house bearing
his name, is the writer of the follow
ing interesting letter on the tariff. 1t
was written in reply to Capt. 3. Rock
we'll, of Junction City, Kan, and its
opening sentences tell in stronger Ian
guage than words sometimes express
themselves the story OF how light is
dawning on Kansas and the west.
Mr.. Walkers letter, or rather arraign-
ment of the Mckinley bill, is as fol-
lows:
am sorry to hear that the citizens
of Kansas are experiencing SO little
prosperity in their business affairs.
Your conviction that the tariff is
largely responsible for their straighten-
ed condition is undoubtedly correct.
The tariff is the question of the hour
and is assuming an Importance little
suspected by the majority of the citi-
zens of this country. 1t is scarcely
within the scope of II letter to discuss
the "pros and cons" of this subject.
The venerable sophistries of pro-
tectionists have been current SO long
that they are reputable through age,
and to the thoughtless have the ap-
pearance of truth. With touching
creduity the farmer has accepted the
highest possible tax as his greatest
benefactor, and as the cause of our
national prosperity. The present
tariff. originated for war purposes, was
loyalty accepted by the people. So
long as wheat remained above a dol
lar it was not severely felt, but with
wheat ut seventy-eight cents in Chica-
go it has become burden too intoler-
able to be borne. and the general con-
ditions OF the country are crying aloud
for relief The farmer, knowing that
the most bountiful crops which ever
smiled upon this country are produc-
ing him no net profit, is casting about
for some alienation. He feels that
what he buys costs him too much,
and believing that his local merchants
exact too large a profit, is organizing
farmers alliances" in various parts
Of the country, hoping thereby to pur-
chase his supplies at a smaller per
centage of profit than is required by
the merchants. This, however, will
not meet the difficulty. The mer-
chants profits are none too large. The
trouble is that, on account of being so
heavily taxed, the goods originally
cost The merchant too much.
The farmer has long been led to be-
lieve that the present exorbitant tariff
is for the benefit of American labor,
in order to enable it to get high wages,
and thereby create a good home
market. for the products of the farm.
A little investigation will prove to
you that the operatives in the mills Of
the protected industries get far lower
wages than the employees of the un-
protected industries, and the highest
scales OF wages and salary in this coun-
try are in those trades, professions
and occupations which are not pro-
tectcd in any matter whatever. The
mercantile clerks of this county get
the highest salariesin the world. The
carpenters, bricklayers, blacksmiths,
locksmiths, and all the mechanics en-
gagged in the local industries which
exist in our towns and villages, get far
higher wages than operatives in the
mills, and much higher than similar
workers in any part of the world. Our
farmers are not protected in any sense
of the term, and yet the farm laborer
is better paid in this country than in
any other. These facts seem to prove
that high wages depend upon condi-
tions rather than on a protective pol
icy. The benefits Of protection apply
to very few people in this country
probably not over five to ten per cent.
of the Whole population. The other
ninety to ninety-ive per cent. pay
enormous taxes for the enrichment of
that five to ten per cent. pay and get
nothing in return.
Does your community know that
the tariff tax ON dry goods, such as
dress goods, farmers satin, cashmeres,
henriettas and shawls, will average
seventy-tive per cent. at the port Of
entry and nearly one hundred per
cent. by the time they reach the con-
sumer?
Does your community know that
there is bill now being considered
by Congress which is called revised
tariff bill?
The country at large imagines that
revision of the tariff means a reduc-
ton of the tariff. The facts are that
as far as dry goods are concerned
it means still further increase
of the tariff of from five to 125 per
cent.
Does your community know that
organized manufacturers are in Wash
ington at present urging the passage
of this enormous additional tariff on
top OF a tariff incredibly large already?
Does your community know that
the passage OF this bill means that
many dry goods when they reach the
consumer will cost exactly double
what they ough. to cost, or double
what they would cost if this tariff did
J not exist?
| Cotton warp dress goods pay a duty