West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-07-14
PROTECTION LOGIC.
" REsr.eLEs m GVAsIVEsgss THs
iRissmANs FLEA

When You rut War Fiaxer ON a. % Isn't
Thsr.- Cssnteti.g Statements sf the
uoa. .. a.. walker. of MAs.aehasstts.
One sf the TariG nzker-
Hon. J. n. Walker. % Massachusetts.
Il n big manufacturer of leather and
boots and shoes. lie helped 90 make the
Mckinley tariff bill. and is regarded rs
one % the s,anchest and strongest ofpro-
tectionists. Ills speech Of March IS.
iSes. Is printed In a forty-hvc page
pamphlet. On page . occurs the follow
ing;
IL haveto say that you may search the
speeches that are made in favor OF pro-
lection from beginning TO end and you
will not Gnd PER cent. % error. where
you will find 90 per cent. Of error in the
statements that arc made by those In
favor OF free trade as opposed 20 n pro-
tective tariff"
Il Is evident that Mir. Walker knows
what error and logic are. and that he in
tends 10 sustain the good record ~ his
brethren. On page Is this statement:
at is of no consequence 20 tho manu-
facturers of this country. as manufac-
turers. whether we have free trade or
whether we have protection. We are
just rs well satisfied with free trade a.
we are with protection"
This will be news 10 thousands of man.
ufacturers who employ lobbyists at
Washington and who have said that the
Mills bill would have driven half of
them out of the country. But for fear
of being in error he hedges this state
ment in the following paragraph TINS:
"The well being of every city Of this
country is bound mp with the interest Of
the manufacturers in a protective tariff. 4"
On page is the following;
"Now, it Is conceded by every stats
tician Of this country and every other
that this Is the lowest taxed country on
the face of the earth that is counted As a
civilized nation
And on page ) this:
81 affirm that there Is no greater evil
dence Of civilization, Christian civiliza-
ton, than taxation; and the volume of
taxation per capita expresses it. Show
Inc the taxes per capita Of any people.
aud can determine by that their ad-
vancement in the scale Of civilization"
This is hard on the United States-to
be the lowest in civilization because IL il
the lowest taxed country. But this is
truth and logic, and there is no escape
for us. He then defines taxation.
what does taxation come to In it's
last analysis? IL comes 10 taking the
property Of the rich and dividing il pro
rata for the benefit of every Ean. wo-
man and child in the community. That
is what taxation comes tn at last"
This proves that economists. G.. i'm
practical book economists out Of con
gress-are entirely in error, for they all
agree that taxation has always rested
most heavily upon the poor. He then
further elucidates and simplifes his
definition:
"Now, what is taxation? Taxation is
but the government taking a part Of the
income of the citizen and spending II FOR
the citizen TO better advantage than be
can himself spend it. That is all there
is in taxation"
This is unpleasant Information Tor
come Of us who prefer to spend our own
incomes, but there can bc no mistake.
MIR. Walker is well versed ia statistics
and cannot be In error ia this next state
ment:
more than one-thirl OF the income
from all the property east Of the Mis-
sissippi and north OF the Ohio is taken in
taxation, aud beDefcently taken-taken
and returned TO the citizens pro rata.
rich and poor alike, after being takes
ont Of the boards OF tho rich"
But think what taxes must lie paid by
really civilized countries when one-third
Of the income Of this lowest taxed
country" Ia taken for taxes, and what
awful blessings we are missing bv not
increasing our taxes until the go, m.
ment invests. say. % per cent. Of our in
comes for MS.
We now reach page G. where Mr..
Walker shows the wonderful instinct
by which taxation, no matter where lei
loose, returns 20 the same SPOT.
ut makes comparatively little differ.
encs where you lay your taxes. Law
them where you viii. they will follow
back and ultimately rest ON the Same
persons and IN the same spot. We NAV
as well lay all the taxation II this gov
eminent Oh wool If we choose rs well "a
anywhere else. II will oil rest On tine
same spot finally. Il Is of comparative
~ little importance where YOU las taxes
1t may take twenty years for them "a
adjust themselves 20 their final point
IL may take thirty OF forty years. but n
you levy taxation anywhere 70 seeks ont
and rests upon the same individuals in
the community who will ultimately
bear the burdens. ! think the statistic.
VIII bear Inc ont iu this statement"
Let 10 be remembered that "freo trad
ers' make at least uiBety-uine times n.
many errors as ''IrOtcctionigfs. and
that Mr.. Walker Is a specialist in li.
line
Startling Array.
The proclaimed purpose Of tho Nc
Kiuley tariff is 10 enable American ora.
plOyers % nay higher wavea "a A,.,...t