Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-10

ural implements and products of Amer
ican manufactures are sold at much
lower rate to foreigners out OF the United
states than to citizens in it.
Continuing, McMillin declared that
another most serious objection to the
high rate of duties is the destructive In
fluence it has on our commerce, and
added: "Many friends of high protec-
ton pretend to believe, and have busted
themselves to show that duty collected
is not a tax upon the people. They
claim that it is a premium or tax paid
by foreigners, whose manufactures are
sold in this country, for the privilege of
selling them here. Those holding to
this view insist that the tariff is not a
tax. When an American buys here an
article manufactured abroad, he pays
not only for the original cost abroad,
but the cost of transportation to this
country and the duty collected at the
port of entry. and when he uses and
consumes articles he pays the tax i'm
posed by the government on it. 1t
makes no difference whether he or some
prior dealer handed the money to the
customs officer.
mot only this, but when an Ameri-
can citizen buys goods manufactured
here which are sold in daily competi-
ton with goods of like character that
have a similar use, imported from
abroad, be has to pay the cost OF pro-
duction here. in many instances, or an
amount equal to or nearly equal to the
rate of duty fixed on foreign goods so
competing. If foreigners and not our
citizens pay the duty, why did we re-
lieve them from paying millions of tax
for us on sugar? Why not let them
continue to pav this fifty odd mill
lions?
IF no other good has resulted from
the Mckinley bill, it has taught the
American people that tariff is tax,
and tax upon the people who con-
sumo the articles upon which it is lev
led. The day the tax was removed
from sugar, the price went down
in all the American markets
an amount about equal to the duty re-
moved. On the other hand, when an
was imposed on tin plate, it went up all
upon which the duty was vastly in
may have been the situation before, the
|
that tariff is a tax, and have dealt
with those who increased the tax in the
last congress accordingly, by admin
istering to the authors Of the high rates
we now have to pay the greatest rebuke
that was ever administered to any party
in this country--turning the Republican
majority into Democratic majority Of
almost threefourths.
There is another provision of the law
that should be amended. The one al
lowing those who are opulent enough
and have leisure to go abroad, to bring
in free of duty quantities of clothes as
wearing apparel"
In closing the speaker said 1.-THE peo-
pie have resolved, and they will make
1 that resolution good, that they will have
reduction in the rate of taxation, or a
still further reduction of those in con-
gress who favor higher taxation. This
battle is on and is on to the finish. On
one side is arrayed the Democratic party
in favor of just taxation, and on the
other side it's opponents clamoring for
excessive and unjust taxation"
DINGLEY's REPLY.
McMillin spoke for an hour and 9
half, and then Dingley of Maine tool
I
ity of the ways and means committee
Dingley ridiculed the Democrats fol
their failure to do more than attacl
three little items in the Mckinley tarif
out of $500, after their threats ane
promises to sweep every line and wore
of this "unholy tariff from the statute
books and substitute measure of "tarif
REFORM" from which shall be eliminated
all ''class legislation" all robbery"
all protection"
"These three little bills" said Ding
ley, "embrace all the tariff reform the
Democratic majority of 140 has Offered
in redemption of all the pledges ant
promises made before the last election
The voters who have been cheated once
would like to know, and they have .
right to be informed, now and here, BY
the 140 Democratic majority of thi
house, exactly what kind of tariff bill
the Democracy would substitute for th'
existing Mckinley tariff. Th,
people demanded that this Democrat,
house shall present such a measure
as they proposed to be ready to substi
tute for the Mckinley tariff, before tn,
election, not after it. They ask tha
they may have full information of ex
actly what is proposed, while they hav,
chance to express any opinion of it
and not after it ia too late. The fac
that the Democratic leaders have no
and will not present such a complet
tariff measure, is practically a confession
that they dare not let the people se
what they propose to do"
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.