Evening journal., 1892-03-24
WHO PAYS THE TAXI
The Question Answered by a Republican
Paper

4
Paper
Il is contended that the American con
sumer does not pay the duty on imported
goods; that somebody else the exporter
or the middleman, or the merchant, pays
Il. Does hel Why then Is IL that prices
Of all imported goods at retail have been
advanced TO the purchaser in pretty fair
ratio with the advance Of dutiesi Mr.
McMillin, who would have been chairman
OF the Ways and Means Committee had
Mr. Springer's illness proved fatal, said
the other day In the House, in the course
OF his speech on the Wool and Woolen
bill:
"a rich man going abroad can bring
back thousands Of dollars worth OF
wearing apparel free from taxation; bui
II one Of his humble laborers were 90
seek 20 get 800 worth Of woolens
brought back by him for the use OF bis
family, be would have to pay, according
20 the average rate In woolen goods,
more than 800 duty, and on some grades
be would be compelled TO pay--on knit
goods-more than $500 duty"
There is no doubt about the truth Of
this. Everybody who has been abroad
knows that Il Is true. It Is estimated
that the Astor trunks, which the Supreme
Court decided should be admitted free OF
duty. as they contained things which we're
fitted for persons so wealthy as their
owners, contained goods costing $40, 000
IL is quite within bounds TO say that those
same goods we're purchased for a third
less sbroad than they could be bought
for In this country with duty added Ia
deed, It is probable that the average duty
on them was go per cent, or 10 per cent
more than one-half. That was saved by
the purchaser, and IL would have had to
be paid, except for the decision of the
Court Of last resort or IL the contents Of
the trunks had been bought In the
United States. The quantity and quality
OF the importion of goods by tourists for
their personal use are fixed by their for
tunes The rich can import without
duty $i5 600 worth Of clothing and per
sonl effects; the poor in accordance
with their means Whether this law Is
Just or unjust. the fact remains that
the person who buys abroad pays no
duty, provided bis or her trunks can pass
the Custom House, and they generally do.
and that the person who hugs at bone
from the merchant or storekseper does
pay the duty, and the preteuce that he
does not pay IL Is sham and fraud.
The price Of say, dress salt of the
finest quality and make In London OF
Paris is S45. That is high price, paid
TO the best tailors Here a similar suit,
made by the best tailor, Is 500 The
difference Is just ne-hAlf, aud the duty
Is go per cent. Does the purchaser at
home pay the duty, and something over
on account OF tue duty, or not2 II he
does not, what does he pay the double
price for2 IL Is the height OF absurdity
to misrepresent the effects Of the tariff
II II cannot stand on the truth.
il would be better TO cut the ground
from under II and let II drop out OF
sight There Is no one who buys i'm
ported goods Of any sort in this country
who does not pay the duty, and to the
extent Of the duty he pays a tax. That
is why so many people 60 to Europe
Anybody who can afford TO spend
thousand dollars or so for personal effects,
exempted by law, can pretty nearly
pay the entire expenses Of modest
living abroad for three months
trip Those who stay at home
and buy their personal effects here pay
the duty, or tax. The exporter pays
nothing OF II. II Is all paid on this side
OF the water II anybody doubts IL, let
him price clothing, personal effects, or
any other imported article, abroad, and
compare their cost with the home price.
DE will then painfully learn who It is
that pays the duty, and that the tariff is
a tax, and the heaviest one that Is i'm
posed upon him. Who WAS II paid the
duty on sugar before the duty was re
mOved2 and II the alien exporter paid it,
why was IL taken of, and why did the
price Of sugar fall as soon as 1t was taken
OFF Why not put Il on again, II the
foreigner paid III The country wants
revenue, aud ii is better that the for
eiguer should contribute It than the
natives. So he would II the foreigner
paid the tax, but he pays none Of Il. 10
is paid at home, by the domestic con
sumer. aud II is tax Of the most oppres-
sive scrt In many cases