Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-03-04
Wool ana R.xsnus.

Here ID . simple question for tariff
reformers. They propose to take off all
the duties on wool and all the compen-
satory duties on wooden goods, and in
sist that the home manufacture would
be better of and better able to sustain
itself against foreign competition than
it 10 now. It must be assumed that
some Of them honestly believe this.
Very well. gentlemen; what are you 60
ing to do for the necessary revenue?
Granulated sugar at 4 cents per pound
against 6.75 cents eighteen months ago,
mea 40 something for the working peo-
pie. Perhaps no article could be named
which Is more universally consumed by
the entire American people; certainly
not wheat bread, for in large sections
corn 10 almost exclusively used instead.
The people consume more than 50
pounds Of sugar for every inhabitant.
They have gained by . single change of
duty from 81 to $l.37 for every person;
from Is to 1857 for every family. Do
the tariff reformers propose to put this
burden back? They are we'll aware
that they have not the courage TO sug-
gest such . thing. What are they to do,
then, for the needed revenue?
The treasury has no larger revenue
nOW suuAs ~ IO4uiI0c: Al loCtS N0Oet Oh
the reformers insist that it has too little,
pleted, and that bankruptcy is ahead
unless this Congress carefully reduces
expenditures. The official reports show
but . narrow and scanty balance for the
future, even il the sinking fund be dis
regarded, and if no appropriation should
be made in excess Of the estimates,
which do not include many things for
which Congress ID ure to spend money.
The duties on wool during the last
fiscal year amounted to 1861, 36S, and
with the duties On waste and rags,
which it 10 also proposed to make free,
to %, 758, 7795. The duties on the remain.
ing wO6len goods amounted to $34,65O,-
928, and - tie value 0f these was but
e43, C28 ,882, and the duties proposed by
tariff reformere would not exceed 40
per cent. dd talorem. the amount col
lected would be not more than $17, 2OO,.
0O0. It is asserted by the reformers
that the manufacturer would be able to
sustain himself az we'll a. he does now;
that is, the imports Of goods would be
no greater. Hence no increase in the
revenu from wool and woolens be-
yond the aboye-named $l7 200, 600 should
DO expected, which would be S24,2O9,-
~ 1c00 tueu tuo IoVouuo from the 88m0
articles last year.
Some other tax must be imposed if
this amount of duty is to be taken of.
1t will not do to put back the duties on
sugar aud molasses. It would be absurd
to put back the duties on MANILA, lutte
and other textile grasses which we're
placed on the free list, reducing the rev.
enue 81, 100000. Neither will it do to put
higher duties on more than 200 articles
which were placed on the free list or
reduced in duty by the last tariff.
What other tax, yielding 81, 200. 600
yearly, an amount the treasury must
have, are the tariff reformers prepared
to impose?
OF course they do not know, nor does
anybody else. In their absurd notion
that the first duty of man 10 to attack q
tariff they make haste to cut off q rev.
enue which is necessary for the support
OF the Government, with not the faint
est idea what they can do to get an
equal revenue with less injury to the
people. II they ever become sane
enough to think about the matter dis.
passi0nately, they will find that duties
which do actually add nothing to the
cost OF wooden goods, and yet return
$24 100000 yearly to the Treasury, form
. highly desirable source of revenue, il.
respective Of their value az q defense
for . great American industry on which
more than q million people depend for
suppOrt.-NW York Tribune.