Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-06-30
Raise The Duty Again.

Raise The Duty Again.
The people have an impression that
the new tariff act. passed by republican
congress last summer, and ovelwhclm-
ingly condemned in the congressional
elections last fall, was bill of blunders
full OF defects in the direction OF in
creased taxes on the necessaries Of life.
but it seems that this popular imprcs-
sion is ap error There are several &C.
fects in the new tariff. but they do not
consist in excessive burdens on the peO-
pie: on tie contrary. they are defects
because they are not excessive enough.
If certain duties on articles which the
masses consume very largely, and the
taxes on which they complain OF. had
only been made still heavier, the act
would be MS nearly q perfect piece OF
economic legislation as q first-c.as5 re-
publican compress could enact.
Take the tax on tin-piate for exam
pie. 1t is an ineXcusable blundCr not
that it is TOO high, but that it is not
high enough. 1t might be thought
that republican congress. working in
the interest OF the favored manufacture
ing class and devising new sched-
ule OF duties according to the sugges-
tons Of this favored class. would never
make the mistake OF leaving Il protect
i've duty too low. And vet this is pre-
csely what was done. The tax on tim
plate was increased. it is true: indeed,
it was doubled. But it is a failure. IL
ought TO have been quadrupled. Then
the fervid manufacturers who were
painting with patriO ic desire to exhibit
the devotion to their beloved country
by making tin-plate at a profit OF not
less than 60 per cent. would have had a
chance to demonstrate their patriotic
ardor ard make some money at the
same time. When the distinguished
and subsequently defeated author Of the
Mckinley bill presented that bit OF
work in the House in the late Congress,
he explained the doubling OF the duty
on tin-plate, that the object was TO
make it high enough to insure its
manufacturer in this country to the eX-
tent Of home consumption"-that is, to
make the prices OF tin-plate so high
that manufacturers who were already
making 40 to 60pe cent. on other pro-
tected articles might be induced to
include it in their list of fab
TICS. he IuCfCdScu uuuy, VhC
author of the bill apologSt-
ically remarked, may add little, tenn
porarily, to the cost of tin plate to the
consumer he added, lit will
cventuate in steadier and more satisrac-
tory prices"
But the double duty failed, and will
continue to fail, of this effect. The
prices are higher. indeed, but not high
enough. They are not satisfactory. :"
Who could expect a passionate patriot,
as all favored manufacturers are, 10 60
into the tin-plate businesses, which
yields only 10 to 80 per cent. prof. on
the Investment, when he is making
other protected fabrics at profit of %
to 40 per cent? Is it reasonable to ask
one of these patriotic persons to divert
a portion OF the investment which IS
yielding him net profit of 500 in hand
to the manufacture of an article that
would not yield him over half the
average?
The tin-plate duty is mistake. 1t
is only so per cent. 1t ought to be 200
per cent TO make it satisfactory
that is what it will be raised to as soon
as another Republican Congress can be
elected.-Republic.
How He Gets His Clothes.
An ipoidapt took plapa in CbicorO