The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-31

far as possible, men according to their abil-
ity as to means should contribute of their
substance to the support of government.
All these conditions, in the estimation of
Democrats, are met by system of indirect
taxation which consists in laying duty on
goods imported from foreign countries, and
collected at the port of entry where such
goods are landed. This duty so collected is
eventually paid by the consumer Of
the goods, not by the importing
merchant or the foreign manufac-
turer; for to the cost of production
and of transportation is added the tariff
duty, as well as the merchants profit
where the article is sold TO the consumer
Hence it is clear that the consumer pays
the tariff, and when the government levies
tariff on imported goods, it should ever
be remembered that it is taxing it's own
people. 1t is taxation, and 1t is no less real
because it is indirect, and paid little by lit
tie and almost unconsciously as the daily
purchases are made. And since the only
excuse that government can have for TAX
ing money out of the pockets of the lndl-
Vldual is to supply the means necessary to
meet its just expenditures, the tariff on
imported goods should be adjusted with
view tn meeting the necessary expenses of
the government economically administered.
Then by levying the tariff as much as may
be On luxuries. the burden of taxation rests
Oh those able TO buy the Injuries; that is,
upon the wealthy.
Such are the principles and considera-
tons which lead up to and justify the
Democratic doctrine of tariff for revenue
only Beyond this restriction Democrats
would have trade free. They say, let the
free markets of the world, the law of sup
! ply and demand, the natural resources and
adaptability of countries and peoples to
! produce the various articles consumed by
man, and the facility of exchange regulate
the production of those articles and
the development Of the resources
of the respective countries. If develop
ment under these natural conditions of
trade and commerce is not so rapid as under
! the stimulus of a system of protective
tariffs, arranged with view to create and
foster home industries, this is more than
compensated for by the reflection that
such development as we attain to under
natural laws will be more permanent
st, adily forward never backward, no col
lapse when the stimulants can no longer
be given. or the artificial strength sup
piled is exhausted.
Republicans, On the other hand, believe
government may do something more than
secure domestic tranquility and provide
against foreign invasion. They assign tt
government the quality of paternalism
would give to IL power to foster industries,
and interfere, under the FLEA Of providing
for the general welfare, with those enter
prises which ought to be private concerns
Hence they believe they may use thu
powers of government to foster manufac
lures, and thus come to the aid of prvat.
enterprises. They, therefore, would i'm
pose tariff on imported goods with view
to protect home industries without REGARD
to limiting their taxation to thu
necessities of the government fo
revenue. This system requires that thu
duty imposed shall be laid upol
such foreign goods as would compete witt
the products of our home manufacturer
which in our country are the goods mostl,
bought by the masses for every day con
ported into this country, not competing
with home production, are admitted wit
comparatively light duty, so that the bur
I den of taxation under protective tari1
falls upon those least able to bear it-upo
q the poor. Growing out of this protectiv
> tariff system, too, come monopolies, an
one class of industry IS not infrequentl
favored to the injury of another. 1t &C
: cumGlates in the treasury of the natio
) vast sums of money beyond the actus
: necessities of the government, and is
> constan: source of corruption. 1t bring
: On ruinous lavishness in the expenditur
l of public means. THE extravaganza c
one year." writes a respected author
ity, becomes the rule of tn
Il next; and, having once passe
Il the limits of safe and economic expend
i lures, few governments have the virtue {
the courage to return to low rate. The
% are launched on a current ever swifter an
u with more fatal and resistless flow. Tt
u luxurious government corrupts and the
impoverishes the people. 1t lives an il
toXlcated, and hence a dangerous an
- perllous life"
But it is not for the purpose of showir
the tendencies to evil i'll protective tart
that this is written; but for the purpose
calling attention to the fact that the tar
10 question is real issue between the tv
II great national parties in the Unit,
20 States, and that It is based upc
at the different views taken by Il
!. respective parties on the sphe
re and powers of government. Democra
ID believe that that taxation is sovereil
At power to be used only to the extent
s. public necessity and for governmental pu
e. poses; the Republican believe it may
De used for private intests and the promote
te OF private gain; hence the difference /
IN tween these PARTIES on the question
st tariff; and it only remains to remark Oh
IN more that that difference arises from
ed difference OF conception in respect to t
g, fundamental powers of government.
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