Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-03-17
REBATES AND cosls1BRcE.

huence ON the commerce of the United
States is thus described by the Hon.
Benton McMillin, OF the House, in
his speech advocating the passage Of
the Springer free wool bill:
The system Of rebates lie extended
and intensified by the present tarifi
law. This has been another means
used to quiet the American people
and keep them from complaining
against that system. BY this means
the American manufactures is en-
Outraged and enabled to offer and
sell the products OF American manu-.
facture TO foreigners more cheaply
than the same wares are sold to the
American laborer and American citi-
zeus. But for this many American
people who have dealings with for
eign countries would long since have
joined in crusade against q taxation
SO high that it amounts TO exclusion
in some instances aud robbery in
others. BY this means and others
very many agricultural implements
and products of American manufac-
turers are sold at q much lower rate
to foreigners out of the United States
than to citizens in it.
Where is the justice in this? Why
sell to a pauper abroad at a less price
than to a laborer at home? Why
fleece your neighbor in way that
no one in any other country 10 re-
qnired TO or will endure? We may
admit, for the sake of argument, that
q commerce that is even bolstered up
Ivy the pillars that sustain rebates, is
better than no commerce at all. But
even when we concede this we have
not conceded and do not concede the
stability Of system that requires
such bolstering, or the Justice Of such
taxation.
Mr.. Chairman, the rebate paid on.
tin for the year 1891 was S1,418,000,
and that paid to the Standard Oil
Company alone on the taxes collected
from the tin they imported last year
amounted, it is said, TO about SEQ, COO
DESTRUCTION OF COMMERCE..
Mr.. Chairman, another most serious
objection to high rates Of duty here.
tofore existing and growing higher
with each new congressional act, is
the destructive Influence that il has
had on our commerce. The time was
when American commerce was car
ried in American ships, bearing the
American flag, and manned by Ameri.
can freemen. In those proud days
our flag fioated over every sea and our
R'i,n cast anchor 10 every harbor. We
in 1860 carried 541% per cont. of our
commerce. We goo the materials Of
which our ships are built without
the imposition of excessive duties
and built them and smiled them in
co npetitiou with eli the other nations
OF the earth.
. The joyous songs of our free and
happy seanen were heard wherever
any civilized tongued WIS spoken.
Then came, in an evil hour, our OK.
oessive rates OF duty, and beneath
that and other paneful influences that
commerce mas w:tliercd till We now
carry only l2M per cent. Of our vas,
foreign commerce, and only 7 pei
cent. Of our foreign trade was con
Quoted in steamers bearing our M
tional flag, while 1909 per cent. wa
with all its profits conducted IN aliel
steam vessels. We neither allow on
citizens to buy ships abroad nor buiIc
them at nn,ue. s'uoh are our law
that IL an American ciazsn VINO chi
not build snip at home at rat
that enables him 10 compete wit
others 10 the carrying trade, goe