St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-30
A TARIFF CATECHISM.
New York World.

New York World.
The following questions and answers
were found among the papers of the
late George Otis, of Roselle, n. j.:
q. What is the meaning of the word
tariff?
A. 1t is so called because hundreds
OF years ago sea pirates at Tarifa, Spain,
forced every passing vessel to pay for
the privilege of going into and from the
Mediterranean sea.
Z. What is the meaning now?
A. A certain sum forced from the
people by land pirates.
q. Why say taken by force?
A. Because the Republican congress
says to the people: Stand and de-
lIVern'
Q. Stand and deliver to whom?
A. 10 certain favored manufacture
ing interests.
@. Where i'm the constitution is con-
greSs empowered to pass law to COM
pei the many to support the few, the
poor to contribute to the rich?
A. In no part of ii.
Q. Then where did it find the power?
A. In the Bible.
y. Give the book. chapter and verse.
A. Matthew, 18th chapter, 18th verse ::
''For whatsoever hath, to him shall be
given, and he shall have more album
dance; out whatsoever hath not. from
him shall be taken even that which he
hath"
Q. Is such law Republican in the
sense OF being Democratic-a govern
ment in which the people rule?
A. No. 1t is aristocratic.
z. What do you mean 10y aristocratic?
A. A government wherein a few rob
the many: where the many work to help
support the privileged few.
Z. Explain how the tariff law eStab-
fishes an arlstOcracy in democratic
government.
A. Congress says to the poor, because
this or that man is rich and produces
iron OF cotton or WOODEN goods, Won
shall pay him so much money for so
many pounds OF yards, or go naked and
work without tools.
q. What reason does congress give
for such tyrannical law?
A. Congress says the law is differ
entlatiOn OF industrial function, which
means that industry is the function of
the poor and the difference goes to the
rich.
Q. Is that the only reason congress
gives?
A. No. 1t says the tariff is intended
to foster infant industries at home.
q. Are the iron, cotton and wool in
dustries infants?
A. No: they are hundred years old.
y. What date has congress fixed for
these industries to become of age?
A. When Gabriel blows his horn.
One congressman did move to fix
later date. but when reminded that
asbestos was not protected he with
drew his motion.
q. What is the meaning of a pro-
tective tariff?
A. Protection of the rich from get
ting poor aud of the poor from getting
rich.
q. What is the difference between
the tenants in Ireland and the farmers
i'll America?
A. None. In both cases the tax
gatherer lives in the East, and the sher-
if is after both.
tween the Irish tenants and the Ameri-
can farmers?
A. Yes: the tenants are too poor to
stay and the farmers are too poor to
leave.
Q. Is that the only benefit Repub!i-
can protection confers upon the poor?
A. No. 1t improves their morals:
keeps them from having useless desires.
q. How does protection produce such
results?
A. The poor have to work so hard to
support the rich they have no time for
mischief. Having no surplus money
with which to travel, they see nothing
new, and their desires are kept dor
mant. That brings content.