The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-21
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.

on vigorously. Governor Campbell and
Major Mckinley are ideal exponents of
Democracy and Republicanism, respec-
lively. Gov. Campbell insists that the
Ubiquitous tariff law, Of which Mckinley
is author, is the overshadowing question
between the parties. Major Mckinley
switches off to side issue (though an
important one) and prefers to discuss the
silver question. These two champions
met in joint debate on last Thursday, and
the Democratic leader gave his opponent
some hard nuts to crack. We will quote
few Of his utterances, which were greet
ed with applause, showing to some extent
to what enormous taxation we are sub
jected on nearly every article we use:
81 regret" said Governor Campbell, in
opening, "that have not time to properly
present the indictment of that overgrOwn
monster, which, masquerading in the
garb of protection, subsists on the wage
worker and agriculturist. Yearly, farm
ing is growing more Improbable, our
commerce is swept from the seas and that
industry is abandoned. Under protection,
splendid palaces of protected manufactu-
rers are crowning the hills, while import
ed Huns, Italians and Bohemians are dis
placing American citizens. We are rap
idly reaching the condition which was
predicted by Abraham Lincoln when he
uttered these words, 'As result of war,
corporations have been enthroned, an era
of high prices will follow, the money
power will endeavor to prolong its reign
until all wealth is aggregated In the hands
of a few and the republic is lost TO con-
vince you that that prediction is being
realized, I cite you to the utterance of q
Republican Congressman (Butterworth)
from Ohio, who said in Congress that he
could, upon ten fingers Of his hands,
count men who had added more to their
wealth in the last ten years than had been
added to the wealth ofall the agriculturists
in any State of the Union.
Here a board was hoisted upon the
stage, upon which was demonstrated by
methods Of bookkeeping the injustice of
high tariff. A man goes to England and
purchases goods to the amount of $4,000.
The average duty on these goods would
be $4,000, making $4,000 the total sum paid
by the importer. Here another board
was hoisted on which the $4,000 was
charged up to profit and loss, indicating
that If the importers did not charge the
duty to the consumers he would lose the
$1,000 paid in duties. Thus the foreigner
did not pay that tax.
'The duty on plate-glass is 40 per cent.
Last year we imported $3.50, 900 worth of
plate-glass. That was the value of the
goods in England yet upon that glass
there was paid 2223, 1000 duties, or S63, 900
more than the cost of the glass in Eng
land. Who paid that tax? Did the Eng
lish manufacturers give US the glass and
pay S63, 900 beside to get US to take it7 A
Chicago paper says that last week Chi
eago firm received $l4oo worth Of pearl
buttons from Austria, and the duty on
over 200 per cent. Who paid that duty?
$4,000 for the privilege of sending pearl
buttons to us?
"There were manufactured in this coun-
try last year s., SOC, 900, 900 worth of goods.
IF the tariff on dutiable goods is 60 per
cent. it is fair to presume, taking pro-
tected and unprotected Industries togeth-
or, that at least ! Of that sum is paid in
lieu of duties to manufacturers at home
upon the American product. It is said
all this is done for the upbuilding and
maintenance of manufacturers! 'How
long, o Lord, how long, shall this up
building and maintenance 60 on?
"The Major has not pointed out one
wageworker, as requested him, in all
this broad land, who had his wages raised
on account of the Mckinley bill. The
Republican song this year is: "With
sugar and tin we are sure TO win." They
take the tariff off sugar to make 1t cheap
and they put tariff on tin to make it
cheap! But no acrobat was ever yet able
to ride two horses going in different di-
rections without failing to the ground.
We are paying about S16, 900 900 duty
upon tin, an increase of 81, ,0OO, 900 under
the Mckinley bill. Finally, they claim
to have established the industry in Piqua.
There is man in this audience who was
told by the proprietor of the Piqua Iron
Works that he had spent 800 in estab-
fishing that industry. The one hundred
was spent in establishing the industry in
the purchase of a stamp to make this
badge inscribed, Made out of steel and
California tin.'"
Gov. Campbell fairly exposes the evils
of Republican protection. Under this
system the rich become richer and the
poor poorer. Under normal and equi-
table condition of affairs, how could ten
men accumulate in ten years more wealth
than all the farmers of any State
put together?
The facts and figures qnoted above de-
serve close study, and must prove to ev-
cry thinking man that the tariff is the
source Of the most of our heaviest bur-
dens, and therefore Is the most momen-
tous subject confronting the American
people to-day.