Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-10-23
AN OU1 RAGEOUS TARIFF.
The Burdens of the People Increased for
the benefit of the Plutocracy.

The tariff bill, as finally agreed upon
by the cOnferreeS, was rushed through
the House of Representatives recently,
no opportunity being given Cor its dis
| cuSslOn. The mem berS of the House
were called upon to vote upon the bill
without having had an opportunity to
even read the conference report. The
only information they had as to what
it contained was obtained from the
newspapers and the current rumors on
the streets and about the Capitol. The
request of the Democrats for a postpone
ment of final action was ccntemptuous-
ly ignored by Mr.. Mckinley. Its thus
that the most important legislation
legislation affecting directly the inter-
ests of every citizen-is rushed through
under the system of gag rules which
has been substituted by Reed, Mckinley
& Co. for the methods of deliberation
which have been in vogue in the Ameri-
can Congress from the beginning of the
Government.
The various compromises" so
called, made by the conference commit
tee were, with scarcely an exception.
surrenders to the trusts and com bina-
tions in whose interests the tariff bill
was framed. This is nota bly, true as to
the tax on binding Irvine. The Mckin
ley bill, as originally reported, imposed
q duty of IA cents per pound on bind
ing Irvine, which is used by every
farmer in the United States. In the
Senate some of the Northwestern SEN
ators. under the lead of Mr.. Davis, of
Minnesota, made fight for free bind
ing Irvine, and with the aid of every
Democratic Senator succeeded in hav-
ing the duty stricken out Senator
Davis declared during the discussion
of this clause that the tax ON binding
Irvine would cost the farmers of Mime
sofa alone nearly $1,000. 600 a year. He
also showed that the business of manu-
featuring Irvine was in the hands of
trust built up by tariff which con-
trolled absolutely the raw material in
the places where it was grown, and
which limited its product and fixed its
prices to suit itself. Mr.. Davis, said of
the members of this trust:
They far above Legislative control
the clouds that Goat above the Capitol They
are in need of protection. They amply
able to protect themselves and to spoliate the
world.
He showed that their profits were 40
POI SNiE- oii sshA hSS 1uS oiiueli ottp-
put of $40, 900, 600 or $1,000, 900 year.
Yet this same trust went before the
ways and means committee and de-
manded additional protection of ~
cents per pound, saying if this was not
granted. its members would be forced
to close their mills. There is no doubt
that this trust is one of the most op-
pressive upon the farmers that is in ex-
istence. Nor is, there any doubt that if
binding Irvine had been kept on the free
list the trust would have been destroyed
and the farmers relieved of an onerous
burden. But the. trust was strong,
enough to induce the conference COM
mittee to put its Notwithstanding
twine-back on the dutiable list, the
rate being fixed at 40 of cent
pound, while on other MANILA cordage
the rate was advanced from - to ~
cents per pound more than was pro-
vided in either the House or Senate
bill. In the face of this deliberate out
rage upon the farmers of the country
committed at the instance of a combi-
nation which. we may safely assume
made a big contri button to the Quay
Dudley corruption fund in 1855, Re-
publican newspapers and politicians
will no doubt have the unspeakable i'm
pudence to claim that the tariff bill is
in the interest Of THE farmers of the
country.
The tin plate job.ret ains it's place in
the bill The existing tax of l per
cent. per pound is to be kept on tin
plate until July 1 next after which the
tax upon this article of universal con-
sumption-this raw material of impor-
tant industries-wil be increased to
2-10 cents per pound. This excessive
tax will ruin large interests, employing
a great number of men and affording an
exte nSive market for farmers products
1t is levied purely in the interest of a
ring of Pittsburgh capitalists who. no
doubt, had the fat fried out of them in
most elegant style"im 1855. The tax on
manufactures of tin+plate is CORES pond
ly increased. TheaSenate provision for
the free Importation of tin-plate after
1876, in case of the failure of domestic.
works to produce 0ne-third of the
amoRnt consumed, is retained. This is a;
piece of rank humijug. OF course the
tin-p2ate ring counts upon it's ability to
secure repeal of tn is provision before,
1896 upon condition. of liberal payments
into the Republican campaign funds in,
the meantime.
The only concession we can discover
which the conference committee made
to consumers is in the sugar schedule
and this is not a very important one.
The sugar crust is 10 get its raw mate
rIals free as provided in the original Nc
kinley bill. It's, product above number
Ii Ditch standard is to be protected by
duty of 3 cent per pound. The coarse
grades of brown sugar between Nos. Is.
and Is will be admitted free.
The bill as>it stands. and as it has lIs-
come law bv tine approvaiO of Ben janfin
Harrison. fully merits the denunciation
passed upon it by the late Democratic
State convention. 1t lays new burdens
upon the farmers and wage-workers of
the country:in the interest," of trusts and
mCnOpolies- 1t increases taxes apon
the necess aries of life and decreases
taxes upon tine luxuriess 1t affords no
relief whatever to the. agricultural in
terestS OF the country: in the words of.
Mr.. Blaine. il does NOT open market
for a single bushel of wheat or a single
barrel of pork. 1t Will add enormously,
to the profits of tha, protected mana--
facturers,, but will. not Incl ease t;te
wages Of u single american. working
man Ag' d penny. It, is unqusstiona ally
the most IN just and outrag sous meas
ure of taxation ever passed by the
Am arican Congress
Ehis bill was supported by every Re-
publican member OF Congress from In