Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-03-02
Where the Tariff Falls as a Public
Tax.


Tax.
The beneficiaries and supporters
of the Mckinley system are gather
ing courage after the recent explo-
sions of popular anger because they
effect to see some weakening or
some signs of disagreement among
those who are fighting the battle
for just taxation.
If there be any weak, weary or
respondent warrior in the ranks Of
Tariff Reform he need but recall
the plain and obvious wrongs inflict-
ed upon the American people by our
protective system to rekindle his
waning zeal and renew his tagging
efforts.
One main grievance against the
present tariff laws may be summed
up under three heads:
1. The tariff gathers its largest
revenues from taxes on the neces-
saries of life, thus wronging the
great mass of Taxpayers by its unjust
placing of the burdens Of govern
ment.
9. The Tariff puts some of its
heaviest duties OH the materials of
industry. In doing this it lessons
both the chances of employment
and the wages of labor in the lines
of industry of which those mater
ials form the basis.
3. The Tariff makes war upon
trade, seeking either to suppress it
altogether or to reduce it to a min
imum, except in the articles which
do not interfere with the private
business and profits of those who
dictate our laws. II is thus always
endangering and making less profit
able the market for our surplus
products, which, as we have seen, is
the reliance of our farmers for
prices and largely for sales, AS
commerce fourishes, said Mr.. Ham,
ilton, land raises in value.
Let US consider in this paper the
Tariff merely as tax, source of
revenue for the support of the Gen.
eral Government.
Without entering into the diff
cult inquiry as to what system of
taxation is theoretically just and
perfect, and admitting that when
it comes to law-making we must be
guided somewhat by rule of thumb
and by existing conditions, we may
take as rule the canon of Adam
Smith, that citizens ought to con-
tribute toward the support of gov
eminent as nearly as possible in
proportion to their respective abil-
tiles. And the abilityof the citizen
is in proportion either to the amount
of property he possesses or the
amount of revenue he enjoys under
the protection of the State.
Taxation is compared to the pay
ment made to the expense of man
aging an estate by a number of
joint owners. Each pays to such
charges in proportion to the amount
of his interest in the estate.
Some years ago, in a speech in the
Mr.. Sherman incidentally
divided taxes into two kinds-taxes
OH possessions and taxes OH con-
sumption. While this classification
is not exact enough for the scientific
student of taxation, it is correct
enough to bring out, in strong con-
trast, the difference between State
and Federal taxes, and to show
where their respective burdens are
made to fall.
The State with its minor divisions
of counties, townships and munich
palities taxes us mainly on what we
possess. The United States tax us
on what we consume. In the one
case accumulated property bears
the burden. In the other the sup
ply of constantly recurring and UNI
avoidable wants is made to contri-
butte the public revenue, II is also
that the State merciful-
ly exampts from taxation the very
things on which the Federal tariff
lays it's heaviest hand. The State
does not intrude into the citizens
wardrobe or cupboard, because
clothing and food are things that
sunruv our urinary wants Tho