Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-08-01
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF.
Statesman.

Statesman.
In 1747 DR.. Franklin wrote from
Philadelphia to Jared Eliot, OF Con.
necticut, as follows: "I imagine that
the per cent. duty on goods imported
from your neighboring governments,
though paid at first hand by the i'm
porter, will not upon the whole come
out OF his pocket, but be paid in fact
by the consumer; for the importer
will be sure to sell his goods as much
dearer to reimburse himself; so that
it is only another mode of taxing your
own people, though perhaps meant to
raise money on your neishburs. Yet
If you can make some of the goods
heretofore imported, among your
selves, the advanced price of 8 per
cent. may encourage your own manu-
facture, and in time make the impor-
tation of such articles unnecessary,
which will be an advantage"
In this quotation lies all the phil
osophy there is on the tariff question.
First, and without doubt, whatever
the tariff is, it is tax. And there
can be no reasonable doubt that
tariff which is mindful of both the
produoer and consumer is as fair and
as just way of collecting revenue as
can be devised. 1t is the plan that
has been devised and used in this
country through all its history. That
a moderate tariff fosters home industries
no one denies; that it keeps money at
home is equally true; that it is a bur-
den on the consumer like any other
tax Is self-evident. But the tariff is a
peculiar kind of tax. 1t is tax that is
paid by the consumer for the privilege
of using specific article made in
foreign country.
If it was limited to that alone there
would be no cry against it; but it is
not limited there, because it makes the
great mass of consumers pay this tax
on all goods of like character which
are made and consumed at home.
The manufacturer of home goods al
ways places upon his goods a price
equal to the price Of imported goods.
The government gets nothing from
the consumer OF these goods made at
home, but the manufacturer gets the
enhanced price and high tariff means
special legislation in favor of the pro-
ducer. In this way the government
became the agent Of the manufacturer
and assists him in increasing the
price Of commodities up to the amount
of tariff that is imposed upon imported
articles of the same kind. Take m
instance: Suppose a tariff of 25 pei
cent. on farm wagons and that 800,
600 worth are imported. The govern
ment would receive $4,000 as reve
nue.. Suppose 100000 worth o.
wagons are made in the country ant
in such places that they are in com
petition with imported wagons. Ths
manufacturer would put into hi
pocket $25, 900, since the tariff grant.
to him that privilege and shuts ou
foreign competition to that degree
and ON these homemade wagons tn,
government receives no revenue. Tn,
users OF wagons pay this money, th'
manufacturer of wagons gets thi
money, and in that respect the gov
ernment protects the manufacturer a
against the consumer. So that it j
manifest that whatever per cent. o
tariff is imposed is to that extent pro
! lection in favor of the producer.
Now the Democratic policy is to ad
just the tariff equitably between tn
producer and the consumer, so as no
to legislate money from the poke
of the consumer into the pocket Q
the producer. The Democratic part
does not hold to absolute free trad
and is equally opposed to high an
prohibitory tariffs. 1t is in favor 9
the golden mean between the two ez
tremes, which comes very closely
the doctrine of tariff for revenue
,, We are for tariff retention, reduction
and reform.