Nevada County picayune., 1891-10-22
TWO OBJECT LESSONS.

Most people remember when quin- inc sold for S an ounce. When the high tariff tax on it was removed it was selling for from S3 to S4 an ounce. Now it sells from 40 to 50 cents an ounce at retail. For 10 cents as much quinine can be bought now as was sold for S1 under the Republican tax. The "protective" price of vuinine at retail was LOGO per cent. (ten times) higher than tue present price under free trade in it.
 In the case of sugar, as Tn that of quinine, the reduction in the retail price has followed at once after the removal of the tax on the wholesale trade. The increase on the dollar s worth of sugar at retail (from four teen pounds under the tax to twen- ty pounds without the tax) is a not able one, but the price of sugar is still much higher than it would be were trade in table sugar as free as it is in the raw sugar. The tax of Sl0 ton against the importation of table sugars has not prevented re- markable fall in price as result of free trade in raw sugar. It is not high enough to allow the sugar trust to restore prices to the old limit and hold them there, but it prevents the accumulation of foreign stocks in this market. If there were no tax to keep out foreign table sugar, the cheapening of sugar would be as great as was the cheapening of quin- inc.
 The effect of tax on trade in any article, no matter how small the tax, is to increase the price of the article. It is often remarked by advocates of I high taxation on trade that prices grow cheaper under the tax. This is often the case, but it is always in spite of the tax, and, in spite of the cheapening, the tax always shows in the average price of the article tax ed. In the case of sugar it is easy to see this. Under the tax of 60 per cent, sugar had grown much cheaper in this market than it was twenty years ago, but when the tax on raw sugar was removed the folly of the claim that this cheapening was due to the tax was shown at once. The immediate fall in price proved con clusively that it :had cheapened in spite of the tax, and that the tax had been still included in the cheapened price.
 If the trade in clothing were put on the same basis as the trade in su- gar, the effects would be the same. A dollar then would buy what it takes at least Sl 50 to buy now. In many articles of necessary use, the reduction would be greater than it has been in the case of sugar, and as great as in the case of quininc.
 Another point which must not be overl ooked is that where the tax is entirely removed, AS in the case of quininc, there may be fall in price much greater than the amount of the tax. The first effect is a reduction not greater than the tax, but grad ually year after year as stocks are accumulated in the markets The peo- pie get the benefit of much greater reduction. They consume more, and the supply is greatly increased to meet their demand, Wherever very large stocks are handled in trade the handler grows accustomed to smaller margin of profit on the pound, yard or other retail quantity, though by handling larger quantities and supplying more people he may realize a larger profit than if he had handled a small stock at higher prices under restrictions on the mar ket. The people get the benefit of all this. They consume more; their consumption quickens trade larger stocks are handled; more men are required to handle them distribu- tion extends over a much larger area and reaches many thousands who would not otherwise be reached.
 With two such object lessons as these of free trade in quinine and raw sugar. no one is longer excusa- ble for remaining in ignorance of the effects of high tariff taxation against trade. - St. Louis Republic.
 The Mckinley Corner.
 To understand the present cOndl- tinn of tha marioau m a rlsat for mon