The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-10-08
What the Tariff Is.
PROTECTING THE RICH.

PROTECTING THE RICH.
Q. Where are these figures OBJ
tanned?
A. From the last report of the
Comptroller of the Currency at Wash
ington.
@. They are very interesting, Ger
tainly; and they show that the PEG
pie of the manufacturing states are
much better provided with ready mon
ey than those of the West. But what
has this to do with the question Of
protection?
A. 1t has this to do with it: Ii
shows that we are protecting the
best paying business in the country
at the expense of all other kinds OF
business, and that the benefits of the
policy go chiefly to the richest sec,
tion of the Union, which stands least
in need of it. The people of Kansas
have not dollar in savings banks,
while the people of Massachusetts
have over $500, 900, 900, nearly enough
to buy the whole state of Kansas, at
its assessed valuation; and, surely,
it cannot be just or wise to impose
taxes on the people of the poorer
state for the protection of the richer
one.
Q. But is it not true that while
Massachusetts has more money
wealth than Kansas, Kansas has
more land wealth than Massachu-
sets.
A. No: Massachusetts, has six
times as great land wealth, or real
estate wealth, as Kansas-the figures
being for Massachusetts 81 ,407, 900,
600; for Kansas $243,000,000. And
besides this, one-third perhaps one
half the wealth of Kansas is owned
in, or mortgaged to persons living in
Massachusetts and the other manu-
featuring states. Indeed, it would
not be far out the way TO say that
this Eastern manufacturing state,
which is assumed to be incapable of
living without the help of
the other states, Kansas included,
not only owns itself, but full third
of Kansas besides. In 1880, the. PEG
pie of Kansas were worth about $577
per capita, and the people of Massa-
chusetts 81, 56S per capita, and the
per capita of true wealth in the. nine
manufacturing states, according to
reliable estimates, was 81, 6SS, and in
the other 30 states only 5000.
$17, SOC, 900 YEAR ON MISSOURI FARMS.
@. When a farmer buys an arti-
Gle protected by high tariff, you
say he pays tax to the amount of
the tariff, to the home manufacturer
of the article?
A. Yes. rA
Q. If he buys a dozen articles
thus protected, does he pay tax to
a dozen different manufacturers?
A. He does.
Q. But there is a duty on the
lumber, and window glass in his
house; on the carpet-if he has one
.on his floor; on the dishes in his
on the clothes on his back /;
on the looking glass on his wall on
the salt and sugar on his table; on
the needles, thread and ribbon in his
wife's work. basket; on the harness
on his team; on the Irvine that binds
his sheaves of grain; on the blankets
on his bed; ON the paper he writes
his letters on.
A. Yes: all these articles are pro
tected by duties.
Q. But here are sixteen different
articles, all absolute necessaries, and
it takes sixteen different manufac-
turing establishments to make them
and do you mean to say that every
humble farmer in Missouri actually
pays taxes to sixteen different man
ufacturing establishments everyyear?
A. Yes.
Q. And he cannot get these nee
essaries of life without paying such
taxes?
A. He cannot.
q. How much do these taxes
to?
A. We have estimated them at
$50 year-and the estimate is a
moderate one.
@. How many farmers are there
in Missouri?
A. Probably $4,000.
@. And each of them pays an aver
age of $50 a year, in tribute to the
protected interests2
A. Yes
@. That makes how much for all?
A. $17,500,00O.
@. Then you estimate that the
protective policy costs the farmers
Of Missouri about $17, 500, 900 a year?
A. Yes-at least that.
@. How much do the people of
Missouri pay per annum, for the sup
port of their government?
A. About So, 100000.
@. Then, the farmers, alone, of
Missouri pay to favored manufactur
ers five times as much as their state
government costs2
A. They do.
@. What does the national gov
eminent cost9
A. About $135,0U0,000 year.
@. What is the Missouri peoples
share of thisp
A. The population of the whole
country is estimated at $4,000, 900;
and the cost of the government per
capita is therefore about So. The
estimated population of Missouri is
100000; and 81 per capita makes
Sc, 100000 The Missouri peoples
share of the cost of the national gov
eminent, therefore, is So, 400, 900.
@. These two sums-$2, 800, 900
and $5,400,00O-addei together,
make $7,900,000; and you say the
farmers of Missouri alone, pay $l7,-
500, 900 a year to favored manufac-
turers. Then the farmers OF Missou-
ri pay in the shape of protection. to
favored manufacturers more than
twice as much as the whole people of
the state pay for the support of their
state government and the govern
ment of the United States together?
A. They do.
MISSOURI AND MASSACHUSETTS.
@. Are the nine protected manu-
featuring states growing rich faster
than the manufacturing statesp
A. They are.
Q. Is this due to the protection
policy?.
t. 20