The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-09-09
WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC THEORY
MEANS.

MEANS.
Writing to the London Times. Mr..
Thomas Sherman, whom the free
trade press loves to quote. because Of
his strong assertions in favor of that
theory, says:
The decision of the Democratic con-
ventlon at Chicago has made it as
certain as any future event can be
that the most numerous and most
wealthy of civilized nations will.
within not mole than five years at the
utmost, destroy the protective system
which has so long INSTRUCTED its pro-
gress and adopt substantial free
trade: while it almost as certainly
involves the somewhat later triumph
OF absolute free trade and direct tax
ation.r
There are two points in Mr.. Shear
mans remarks that will cause the in
telligent voters of this country to
pause and consider before they cast
their votes in favor of the theory
which Democracy stands for. They
will pause for the reason that one of
these points is backed up by the tariff
plank of the Democratic platform,
which says that the government of
the United States has no constitu-
tional right to levy protective duties.
The first point is the assertion that
Democracy will destroy the protec-
tive system which has so long OBJ
structed its progress Does Mr..
Sherman mean to say by this, that
had the United States continued the
system that was in vogue through the
sos the nation would have been more
prosperous than it is to-day? In 1850
nor in 1860 the United States did not
command a very conspicuous place
among the nations Of the earth in the
manufacturing lines, but when the
industrial pulse was quickened by the
protective system, prosperity and pro-
gress both put in an appearance, and
despite the fact that this country
waged the greatest war the world
had ever seen, it marched steadily
along to take the foremost place
among the civilized nations of the
earth.
As to the question of direct taxa
ton, which he says will surely come
later, we quote the following from
the Chicago Hlter-Ocean, giving an
idea of what it means:
What dnac diraaf
How does 1T work in England, where
large part, as much as S120, 600, 600,
is still derived from tariff? To make
up the needful 1920, 900, 900 of British
revenue what hardships are entailed
by the ''direct taxation" which Thos.
Sherman so cheerfully anticipates
as the ultimate result Of Democratic
victory, and to which Grover Cleve-
land gave preference as a means of
raising revenue in his famous mes
sage? But before answering these
questions it is well to state that what
ever direct taxes now are in force in
Great Britain would have to be in
force here if tariff revenue be abolish
ed, for it requires just about the
same sum to meet all the expenses of
our government as to meet those of
Great Britain. The revenue Of each
country averages near to 800, 00O. 900
year. Rather more in Britain, ra-
ther less here.
But to make up 800, 000,0 900 of rev.
enue, of which one-third comes from
tariff, Great Britain taxes a man $3.50
on his admission to the legal bar, SIPS
on his admission to the College of
Physicians, $50 on his appointment
as notary public, $500 on every young
man who articles himself as a student
IN law office, $50 yearly as license for
each auctiOneer. 1t taxes y cents on
every arbitration made. in a matter
involving $50 and an increased rate
up TO $1,000, on which the arbitration
tax is $3.50. 1t places a tax of 81. 80
on every instrument by which boy
is apprenticed to learn a trade. 1t
levles tax on every check drawn on
bank, On every written agreement
TO sell personal property, on every
transfer OF bank or other stock, upon
every rental or lease Of realty, upon
every sale OF realty, upon every car
rage for pleasure, upon every horse.
upon every mortgage, upon every dog,
upon the value of every foot of land.
upon the fact of living in any house
the yearly rental of which is 800 or
over, upon every patent applied for,
upon every power Of attorney, upon
the right TO keep hotel, theater or
restaurant, upon the receipts of all
railroad companies, upon the right to
solemniZe marriage in any church,
upon every certificate of birth, death
or marriage, and the yearly income of
each citizen.
THE Democrats miss Gov. McKin.