The Russellville Democrat., 1890-06-19
THEY SAY IT IS A TAX
Mr. Mckinley and senator Aidrieh Agree That the TariH Inrrsnses khe Cost of Bdod8.

That is the question that the peopih have been asking long time. The Pro i tectionists have stontly maintained that the tariff is not a tax.
 But some of the leaders have recently made admissions which explode the foolish theory that the tariff is not a tax The first of these Is the great maker of tariffs himself, Mir Mckinley. In his opening speech, in calling up his Tariff bill, he knocked a very large hole in the Republican creed that the tariff is not tax
 He was talking about the duty on tln- plate, and he made the astonishing though perfectly truthful statement that for twenty-four years the price of tin-plate was fixed by the foreign pro ducer with the duty added. and every dollar of that duty has been paid by the consumer"
 Of course. The duty is Q part of the cost just as much as the freight Is; and the importer who buys the tin simply adds or the duty as part of the cost The tin is sold with this added cost to the manufacturer of cans. He makes 1t into cans which in turn are sold to the packer of fruits vegetables or meats. The packer paid the duty to the can manufacturer, but must now get ft back; and so the cans are finally sold to the consumer with the duty added all along the line till it reaches him. And as he Is the last buyer, he is the man who pays the duty
 This is perfectly plain case. Mc- Kinley sees it himself and is honest enough to acknowledge it.
 And now another high priest of pro lection has been brought to ''toe the mark" It is Senotor Aldrich, of Rhode Island, who was the tariff-maker to the Senate two years ago, and who was the chief author of the Senate bill of 1888. So we have, then, the chief authorities of the countrywide tariff-maker of the House and the tariff-maker of the Sem ate-both uniting to destroy the founda- tion in which protection has built it's creed.
 The admission of Senator Aldrich came about in this way Senator Vest, of Missouri, recently called attention in the Senate to remark which he re- membered that Mir. Aldrich had made in the debate two years ago. The de- bate at that time was on the subject of the tin-plate duty, just as in the case of MT. Mckinley, just now noted. Mir. Vest claimed that Mir. Aldrich had said in the tariff debate two years ago that ''the tariff tax increased the cost to the consumer that much or nearly that much"
 This was denied by Mir. Aldrich, and the Senator from Missouri then put the question in another form. 'I will ask him." said Mir. Vest, ''if he did not state then that the effect of tariff tax was to increase the price of goods to tho consumer?'
 To which the Rhode Island Senator answered ''unquestionably; and the colloquy then ran on in the following interesting manner:
 Mir. Aldrich---I stated that this was true under the circumstances of the case which we had then under discus- sion, that is. in the case the duty upon tin-plate, but not generally.
 Mir. Vest--But the Senator made the general statement. l will find the Record If do not find it, l will stand convicted of having made false state ment here, Intentionally or uninten- tionally.
 Mir. Dawes-Does the Senator mean to say that the Senator from Rhode Island said that generally it did?
 Mir. Vest--Whether the word ''gener- ally was used or not, I say the effect of the Senator's statement was that as between the two administrative theories, the one advocated by Senators on the other side, that the tariff tax does not increase the cost of the imported or manufactured article to the consumer, and the other theory that it does the Senator from Rhode Island admitted that it did. and admitted it against the protest of his colleagues. recollect the scene distinctly when they gathered around him and said: Don't say that, Aldrich; don't say that; itgives away the case" He said: II do say it." l have great respect for the Senator, because he stood here
 Mir. Aldrich-The statement which made, as I remember, which gave so much satisfaction to the Senator from Missouri
 Mir. Vest-Yes, it did. I repeated it the next day.
 Mir. Aldrich-The statement was, that the average effect of protective duty was to increase the price of the articles imported, and say so now, if it affords my friend from Missouri any gratifica- ton.
 Mr. Exactly. That is all ask That is the whole of it.
 Mir. Aldrich-Otherwise there would be no force and effect to a protective tariff.
 Mir. Vest-Exactly; and that is just what the Senator said.
 l thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that
 word.
 Who shall decide when doctors dis agree?
 Whom, however, the tariff doctors do not disagree, but unite in saying that the tariff increases the cost of goods to the consumer. Why should not the con sumner himself see that it gives away the case?"
 And after the two great tariff makers of the high protection party have thus given the case away by admitting that the tariff increases the cost of goods, will not the lesser lights of that party leave of the attempt to bamboozle the people with the cry that the tariff is not a tax?
 There is an old saying that when rogues fall out honest men come of their own. May we not invert this and say: When tariff makers are agreed the con sumer will see his own and get it?
 "McKinley Prices For Linen.
 The new Tariff bill raises tho duty on most of the linen goods imported from 35 per cent. to 30 per cent. ad valorem. and three cents per pound additional. This would make the following changes in cost of such goods;
 Costing Mckinley
 Now Price
 per yard. pcryard.