Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-05-09
An INQUIRER Wants to Know Who
Pays the Tax, and is Prompt
ly Told.
Old Straw Threshed Over For
The enlightenment of The
Free Trader.
A Far ners Ready Reply to Reck-
less Orator-He Knew
What His Shirt Cost

In a recent issue of prominent re-
publican daily there was an editorial de-
norrcing the tariff Tor revenue tax scheme
as a grievious burden upon the consumer.
twas said that, az former schedules, as
par the democratic ideal, American con-
sinners would have paid on the four ar
tices ltea, coffee, molasses and sugar., a
tax of nearly 500, 900, COO On sugar
alone. American families actually paid
last wear nearly $40 900 000-a tax Of S.
per family. This tax gas levied, not upon
The wealth OF iucoMe, but upon the con.
sumption of the people, not upon their
abilities, but upon their needs. And thus
the paper goes on giving only one side OF the
case These partial statements are apt TO
lead the minimizing into some fallacious
reasoning. All taxes are evils, but some
are greater than others, and the American
people have come to the conclusion that
thew must he reduced to the minimum
"WIll the editor please answer the fol-
lowing questions;
"Do not the consumers pay the tax in all
cases?
"lf the consumers are taxed for any other
purpose than that Of obtaining revenue for
The support of the government is it not
uujus' taXation5
lftaxes are levied for the support of the
government should they not be so imposed
that they can be collected?
"ls a system of taxation that operates to
prevent the government from getting all
the receipts derivabe from it a wise and
equitable system?
us not that method which imposes
duties on articles that must be imported,
nearer justice and equality than that which
c0mpes the cor sumner to pay an increased
price Tor necessaries, and from which the
government receives little or nothing?
is not the tax on woolens and tinwAre
as much tax upon the consumption
and needs OF the people as that on sugar?
"lf wealth escapes and the burden falls
chiefly upon the mass SEES in the one case,
why not in the other2
Then, if taxes are laid for the support
Of the government, and the consumers pay
them, ought not every cent raised by taxa.
ton 90 into the Golfers of the govern
muty' A. @.
A. G. opens up the whole tariff question
by his inquiries, but to briefly respond to
them, we say in answer to his first ques-
ton, do not the consumers pay the tax
duty in all cases?" No! Certainly not
A hundred examples might be given of
this. short time ago the duty (tax A.
G. would cali I'D on nails was 2 cents per
pound and yet YOU could buy them in
Pittsburg for 2l5 cents. A. G. S theory
would Imply that if the tariff were re-
moved nails could be purchased at a half
cent per Mound, an impossibiiity. Sena-
tor Eaton OF Connecticut (democrat), used
70 Yell of a free trade speaker who one day
singled cut a farmer standing at the end
Of Oh" room, and said to him, you, my
friend, leaning against that post yonder
yo0 are a farmer ! presume. Yes,
said the MHn. " ou are voting with this
party that putting tariff on the articles
sou use, | presume. THAT what
am responded the farmer well let
a. ay 20 you. yelled the orator, that
yglpalj tariff tax on the very shirt on
your back Ct FIVE cents a yard 81 guess
n3. sald the farmer not at all confused
FOR b gosh | only paid 4 cents a yard
Tor The truck IN the fust place
III seems scarcely necessary to answer
the other questions asked by A g., and he
val. forgive US for saying they are very
crude Every little while many an enter.
pn.lng city gives literally to secure the
lo.aiIon Of sonIe manufacturing enterprise
Ia Der midst She does so because she
sees an ultimate advantage in so doing
laa city If IL gives. or the citizen if he
gives. do so because they see that by tax
!1E themselves they can gain correspond
l0EH II the city gives 100000 to an
tH''rartse which brings back million Of
N.nelsr the taxation imposed is not I'M
la,t 80 with duties which protect and
build up our various Industries.
%. 10 rs weIrysOme TO thresh over the
81 straw which A @ laws before us hut
word or two IN answer to the rest of his
4aHes. A duty on any article we con-
saW+ and which we cannot produce in
Quantities sufficient to sUpply the demand
Tax. We cannot produce sufficient
-Ni, coffee or tea, TO supply the
e demand therefore the duty upon
....a articles was tax, and in consequence
lH. Hgublcln party removed 1t. We did
d.. ozark the difference betwee did not
7H" cannot we did not produce
gH tim to supply the demand, conse-
gently the duty will be tax until such
,.u- 1s we can under the impetus Of the
'.FG develop our own tin mines and
F.aH our own tin, then tie result will be a
'.'atso IN the price Of this commodity
has been in every other instance. And
even now, let us remind A. G., tinwaTe at
L-.#a h1s not increased in price He can
- uu emp as cheap now as he could
May; the fractional increase of duty
not tall on the consumer. out upon the
4. dealer, and in q year the latter will
p an advantage which will well repay
t9r the trfie less profit he now en-
.-.
y close let Us say that no single case
81. aa mentioned where the tariff on an
re has increased its cost when once we
.-sa point where our own manufac-
..-ts were able to supply the demand o.
GO contrary there has been a decrease in
--H9radS Of cases which can easily be
cited
INFERENCE VERSUS THEORY.
'ddiealous Attempt of British Paper TO
froye the Protective system Bad.