The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-04
EDUCATING YOUNG UTAH"

a Salt Lake contemporary undertakes to
speak OF the effect of Mr.. Mills tariff
views If applied to Utah. OF course an ex-
ceedingly limited and partial scope is given
to such operation. Free entry of raw ma
terials is thus confined to foreign ores and
wool. Now, whether the abolition of
tariff Of IL cents per pound on lead would
actually close down four-ifths Of the mines
and close up four fifths of the business
houses of Utah, as asserted, we have
doubts rather more than faint. If it would
do such thing as that, of course it will not
be abolished, for the mission of tariff
reform Is not to tear down, but to build I'D.
The total lead production of the territory
in 1890 was, at 500 per ton for unrefned
and Ger Us per pound for refined lead. some
what more than s.. 100000, but the agricul-
tural products were about four times as
much.
On the wool question, the less said by
the protectionists the better for their side.
1t was not the purpose of ex COMPTROLLER
LAWRENCE, who wrote the wool schedule
of the present tariff, TO reduce the price of
wool. On the contrary, he demanded
woods, such as are used in making carpets,
TO bring as much as Australian woods, He
wanted to shut out all foreign wool. And
so the duty was largely increased. But in
spite of this fact the quantity of foreign
woods imported since the MCKINLEY act
was passed, has been twice, or more. as
great as that imported in the corresponding
period of the previous year. All this time
the price of domestic wool has been de-
creasing, especially of the finer clips from
Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, from
TWO to four cents pound. On this point
the Chicago Tribune, good Republican au-
thority, short time ago said:
The Ohioans have a very distinct recollection
that JUDGE LAWRENCE and other bright ami
shining lights promised them last summer that
the wool schedule, which the former had drafted
was going to raise the price of their wool and
increase the demand for it Neither of these
things have come TO pass.
So much for high tariff, with reference
to its benefits to wool growers. The other
SIDE of the question lies in what it does for
them when they go to buy wool products.
In 1888 the duty on the lowest grade of
blankets was ~ per cent; now 1t is 81. A
five-pound blanket costs ~. so to make. the
labor-cost being 30 cents, and now the
blanket is protected TO the amount of 81. IS.
This, we are told, is the way to eoualize
matters between American workmen and
the pauper labor of Europe! And look
what the tariff takes from the well-earped
wages Of the American laborerl He is
taxed on every article of clothing he and
his wife and children wear, and everything
he uses, from the time he washes his face
in taxed tin basin till he lies down on
taxed bed, and draws taxed sheet and a
taxed blanket over his tired limbs Not
only is he the victim of the manufacturers
prices, but he is the playthins of their
wages, and in his seasons and hours of
labor the helpless waiter upon rich trusts
and combinations.
SO upon the iaboring man, the mechanic,
the miner, the professional man, the mer-
chant and the farmer the protective tariff
principle works incessaut injury and inius-
tice:
Muscle and sinew, nerve and brain
Tax, tax, tax over and over again;
Tax on the seed that the farmer sovs.
On grain in his barn and grain that he grows
On all that he owns and on all that he owes
To the very grindstone that grinds his nose
Tax on the mares and her foal unborn.
On the supper bell and the dinner horn,
On every shape that the fabric takes.
From the teece unshorn TO the cloth it makes
On every dollar and dime and cent.
On money borrowed and money lent
fly.o y 49,
In every form that knaves could invent.
On lumber and product meat and bone
On labor and frewood, coal and stone.
A tax on your house, tax on yourlot.
tax on the kettle, tax on the pot.
On things not your own that your neighbor
has got,
On all that you have and all you have not.