The Forrest City times., 1892-04-08
DEMOCRATIC MATTERS.
THE TARIFF IS A TAX.

and have DuSleQ themselves 10 snow that the duty collected is not a tax up- on the people. They claim that it is a premium. or tax, paid by the for eigneE 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. I will not take a great deal of time in answering such arguments. When an American citizen buys here an article manufactured abroad he pays for not only the original cost abroad but the cost of transportation to this country and the duty collected at the port of entry.
 Not only this. when an American citizen buys goods manufactured here which are in daily competition with goods of like character that have a similar use imported from abroad, he has to pay the cost Of production and. in many instances an amount equal to or nearly equal 10 the rates Of duty fixed on foreign goods so com peting. If the foreigner and not our citizen pays the duty why did we re- lieve him from paying millions oi tax for us on sugar. Why not let him continue to pay these fifty odd mill lions?
 MT. Chairman. you need go no further than the report of the minority to see the rates of duty imposed by ex- isting law. In tho table submitted on page 35 of the report S34, 650, 925 duties is shown to have been collected in 1891 on woolens. Of this $23. eos. 005. or more than thirds. was paid upon valuation of S2l. 56s 337. or 109 per cent-S109 taxes collected on s10o worth of woolen goods. This is the statement the minority. through the table. make of their own case
 MT. Chairman. every class except those who need it worst has been bene- tited by the various laws passed by our opponents on the subject of taxation since 1865. There was tax on in comes. corporations, etc it rendered the last two years of its existence. about 40 million dollars but it was repealed. Thereby the parties most able to pay taxes were relieved. This was collected off those who had a respectable or large cash income. It was collected of legatees and de- visees who inherited property without working for it and could therefore reasonably afford to contribute mod crate tax for the government under whose protection it had been accumu- lated.
 There was tax on railroad cor porations on banking corporations on insurance companies trust con- panies telegraph companies and other immense money concerns There was also tax on bank checks. Coming from these classes, it came from those who depended on it alone for neither bread nor clothing. It was tax upon wealth and accumulated prop erty. and therefore was not to be en- dured. These were all repealed and the oppressed rich relieved from the burdens of supporting the government
 'Ah! how tenderly the Republican party looks after those who toll not neither spin. With what aTectionate regard it deals with and relieves those who are able to pay but when it comes to imposing a tax on con- sumption the fact that a man who is worth 50 millions requires DO more cloth to wrap his corpse than it takes to enclose the body of q laboring man. does not alter it from imposing a higher rate of duty on the poor and common cloth worn by the one than is imposed on the purple and fine linen that is the daily apparel of the other.
 Sir. if these incomes and other taxes 1 have mentioned had been per- mitted to stand. they would long since have wiped out our national debt i'm proved all the rivers and harbors ap- propriated or estimated for, built all the Qualifications now asked for our coasts and paid all the pensions
 Our opponents have made great boasts of the benefits they have brought on the country by the tariff bill which they passed providing for reciprocity with other countries. 1t provides for the imposition of taxes and the re- mission of taxes by the president of the United States alone. He may. ac- cording to this provision. in his dis cretion and as often as he sees it i'm pose two cents pound tax on sugar three cents a pound on coffee, one and a half cents pound on hides and ten cents pound on tea He may impose these taxes at will and remit them at pleasure. He is not required to con- suit either cabinet or congress. He may levy 50 million dollars without convening or consulting that body if it is in session.
 II am astounded that in free re- public where the right of taxation through chosen representatives was bought with blood such thing is possible as to surrender this right to one man. The most sacred right the freeman has is to determine the extent and manner of his taxation. But it is sad to reflect that IA years after the right of self-taxation was substituted for taxation. without representation. some of the sons of these sires have so degenerated that they are willing without a protest without even a mur- mur to surrender this blood bought right to the president of the United States. From Congressman McMil- Ian speech opening the tariff debate in the House.
 Effect on the Southern Planter.
 The tariff barons of the Northeast are succeeding beyond expectation in destroying one of the best markets