Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-09-29
Who Pays the Tariff Tax!

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statements made by protectionists.n none
is more supremely SO than the state
ment that the foreigner pays the tax
This statement has been repeatedly
made by Mr.. Mckinley, and was reit
Grated by him in his address upon be-
ing called to preside over the Republi
can National Convention, at Minneapo
lis, on the 8th of June, 1892. Upon the
last occasion he said:
ssWe propose to raise our money t.
pay public expenses by taxing the
| products of other nations rather thar
by taxing the products of our own
The Democratic party believes in direct
taxation-that is, in taxing ourselves
we don't believe in that principle SO
long as we can find anybody else to
tax"
It seems almost Incredible that any
one who has the least regard for his
reputation as a statesman would, in the
backwoods much less in the presence
of the delegates to a national conven-
ton, utter such balderdash.
Section 25 of the Mckinley law pro-
vides as follows:
THAT where imported materials on
which duties have been paid are used
in the manufacture of articles manu-
factured or produced in the United
States, there shall be allowed on the
expectation of such articles drawback
equal in amount to the duties paid on
the materials used less one per centum
of such duties"
Under the provision of the law, if a
domestic manufacturer should import
wool upon which duty of $40, 900 was
paid, and woolen goods were made from
the same and exported, the Govern
ment would pay back to the exporter
$4,000. If the foreign wool-grower
paid the tax, why did Mr.. Mckinley
provide that 80 per centum of the same
should be returned to the exporter?
Under this section, drawbacks to the
amount of $1,711, ,O61.39 were paid out
of the Treasury from October 1, 1890,
to December 1, 1891, on exports of tin
ware made from imported materials.
What right had the American ex-
porter to this bounty if the foreign
manufacturers of tin-plate paid the
duty?
1t is doubtful if there is school boy,
who has the least knowledge of polit-
ical economy, who would resort to
such sophistry. Even the officials of
Agricultural Department, under the
supervision of the Hon. Jerry Rusk,
know better.
The following official communication
from the Weather Bureau of that De-
partment will enlighten those benight-
ed statesmen who believe that the
foreigner pays the tax:
U. S. Dept OF AGRICULTURE,
WEATHER BUREAU,
Washington, d. c., February 8, 1892.
SIR: have the honor to return here
with House bill No. 3947, appropriating
$15, 900 to establish signal display sta
tions on Middle and Thunder Bay
Islands in Lake Huron, which you
transmitted to me for suggestion.
By an apparent inadvertence on the
part of the gentleman who introduced
the bill, it provides that the sum shall
be expended under the direction of the
Secretary OF War, and characterizes
the stations as ..signal display" sta
tions.
1t is the evident intent of the bill
that the stations shall be used for the
same purposes as the stations now un-
der the control of the Weather Bureau.
l recommend, therefore, that the bill
be so amended as to provide that the
sum shall be expended under the di-
rection of the Secretary of Agriculture,
and that the words weather Bureau"
be substituted for the words ''signal
The stations contemplated would be
of great value to comerce, and the
Weather Bureau would be glad to CO.
operate in the matter. This Office has
had considerable correspond
ence in regard to these stations with
Senator Mcmillan and others.
This bill is of the same general char
acter as Senate bill No. 295, which l
returned to you December 26, 1891,
and which appropriated $4,000 for
this purpose. The estimate for this |
bill was originally made by this Office,
but since that time a change in the tariff
lars has nearly doubled the cost to the
Government Of telegraph cables. The
can not now import free |
of duty, as formerly. Instead of 81 800 |
a mile, the estimates should be increas-
to-
Z miles cable, at $4,000 per
mile. vi ,OOO
% miles land line, at 800 per
mile. L,ZUU
Total TLo, Zoo
I am, very respectfully, your obedi-
.nt servant.
MARK W. HARRINGTON,
Chief Of Weather Buream.
The SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
February II, 1892.
Respectfully referred to the Com
nittee on Interstate and Foreign Com
nerce, House of Representatives. I
approve the recommendation of Prof.
". w. Harrington.
j. NJ. RUsK. Secretary.