The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-22
sEIrrIE. MoNDAY. JUNE es.


SEATTLE. MONDAY. JUNE 90.
THE "TARTFF REFORM" LUNACY.
All along the line, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific and from the Great Lakes to
the Gulf of Mexico, Democratic and Mug
wump journals are consecrating Especial
department." in their columns to Cam
paign of education" on the subject OF
tariff reform. Among these the Republic,
published at st. Louis, Mo-, has assumed
the role of Grand Panjandrum. In late
issue that paper gives notice that hence
forth and throughout the campaign OF
1892 special department of its daily and
weekly. and large share of its regular
editorial columns will be devoted TO edu-
cational work on the tariff question.
On this question the course which that
paper has outlined for itself is at tan
gent with its course in respect to the
school systems of Illinois and Wisconsin.
In this case il is as vociferous in advocacy
As in those it was officious and tireless in
opposition to compulsory education. AS to
the three R's-Reading, 'Riting and 'Rith-
metic-parental authority must not be in
terfered with. As to the tariff-not only IN
its elementary. but its intermediate and
higher branches-the people must be edu-
Gated. And the Republic gives notice that
It is going to educate them, whether they
will or no. Very properly the speciality Of
the Republics editorial columns will be
the higher classics of this tariff question.
As starter. in the same issue contain
ing this announcement, is a ponderous
argument on "A Point to Make Plain"
This refers to a point which the instructors
In the preparedness have slurred or failed
to comprehend. 1t relates to the wool
tariff. 1t assumes to show that this tariff
has sort of complicated duplex action
a combination of the lever and the screw,
as it were-to "raise" the price of wooden
goods to the American consumer, and to
''hold down" the price of the American
producers wool.
There is infinite wisdom and boundless
truth in the Republics oracular remark
that this peculiar, cranky, reflex action of
the wool tariff has not received the con-
sideration it deserves" and there is doubt
less no less wisdom and truth in the
assumption that "this is one of the
things on which there is most confusion
in the mind of the public" or at least that
portion of the public not yet graduated out
of the Republics tariff class into an insane
asylum.
To appreciate the subsequent argument,
the Democratic doctrine must be accented
that in all cases the consumer pays the
duty imposed by the tariff, and that wool
should be admitted free of duty. at
ought to be conceded by tariff reformers
at the very outset" says the Republic,
shat a pound of wool in this market. if il
can be used with an so-per cent tax on it
completes just as much in its quantity as i
it were untaxed altogether. TIL,
tax on the imported article is uniformly
added TO the cost of whateveris made from
ii and is taken out of the consumer. Blu
If the tax is not high enough to prohibi
the use of the article on which it is levied
that article completes in proportion to it
quantity as used and holds down price
for the domestic article"
The object of this lesson thus stated, il
to make farmers see that the taxes OF
imported wool simply increase the price O
their clothing without increasing the pric,
of their wool clip, in which case it is yer,
nationally assumed that the farmers thu
enlightened would withdraw their supper
from the, to them doubly damaging sys
tenn. But unless the farmers are driver
into insanity by the complexity of tn
argument, can they be made to see ant
accept so manifest an absurdity2 1t mus
be admitted that if some foreign wool
though laden with an eighty per cent
duty, comes in TO compete with the hom
product, much more would come in If tina
duty were removed.
No doubt the importations of foreign
Wool would be at least trebled. Then, I'm
less IL is the duty, rather than the foreign
wool. that "holds down" the price of tn
home product, the holding down effec
wouid be trebled by the removal of tn
duty. or proportionately aggravated b,
any modification of the duty. Then
logically considered, and discarding tn
dea that the Republic means to max
iunatics Of the people as the necessary frs
'tep in tariff reform education. that Jour
aal's argument ''makes plain" but the on
point" that prohibitive duty is the onI,
remedy for the eccentric action of I'll,
present tariff in raising the prices farmer
must pay and holding down the price
hey will receive.
Its suggestion of farmers trust" Z.
0bitrarily raise the price Of the hom
sroduct is impracticable and in keepin,
9Th its reflex nonsense. For any farm
1s six-year-old son will comprehend tina
some foreign wool comes in to connect
9Th the home product at present prices
much more would come in to compet,
fifth il at an arbitrarily enhanced price
70 II that argument is of any value. IL i
snly so as indicating prohibitive tariff a
he only adequate remedy.