The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-10


ratio OF duty on wool, the result has
been 4 reduction OF ono half in tho
number OF sheep in the states east OF
tho Mississippi and Missouri rivers and
a reduction OF about one.half in the
price OF wool.
Nor have tho results becn encouraging
to woolcn manufacturers. They have
been restricted rs to tho quality OF wool
they could afford to buy. BY reason OF
tho tariff they have been restricted In
ENTHUSIASTICALLY in theirown coun-
try. They have boon forced to use
shoddy rs Il substitute for woolen goods.
Mr.. Chairman. when the Morrillt tariff
was imposed TO carry on our great civil
war, twas said by tho author Of tho bill
and those who favored 1t, that the high
rates were only temporary, and would
DO reduced with tho return OF peace.
Sir, about onc..hird OF u century has
now elapsed, moro than two-thirds OF
tho expenses incurred have been paid,
every legitimate excuse for the increase
OF rates has disappeared, and, yet not
only has there been no reduction in
tariff rates, but thoy have been vastly.
increased.
NOT REDUCED.
On many OF tho articles upon which
tho duty YVES almost prohibitory before
it was made still higher, seemingly for
no other purpose than to enable those
now engaged i'll operations here to form
pools, and organize combines" I re-
member well, when the bill was under
discussion in the house, Il Republican
member from Illinois, Mr.. Hopkins,
rose, and pointing to the gallery, said:
81 SEQ man in the gallery who will 60
from there worth millions more than lie
is now il my amendment is not adopted.
llo is in trust which will make mil
lions if this bill is passed" His amend.
ment was not adopted, the bill did pass.
This is only an illustration OF the hun.
drels OF jobs and schemes which that
bill, in one way or another, fostered and
carried.
The consumer was never considered,
or il ever considered ut all, it was only
to ascertain how much more taxes he
could endure. The good of seller, not
the need OF buyer, was the measure OF
the rate OF duty.
Mr.. Chairman, every class, except
those who need it worst, has been bcne-
fitted by tho various laws passed by. our
opponents on the subject OF taxation
since 1865. There was tax OH incomes,
corporations, etc. 1t yielded the last
two years OF its existence about S140,-
000,OO0, but it was repealed.
There was tax on railroad corpora
tions, on banking corporations, on in
surance companies, trust companies,
telegraph companies, and other i'm
mense money concerns. Coming from
these classes, it came from those who
depended on it alone for neither bread
nor clothing. 1t was tax upon wealth
and accumulated property and there.
fore was not. to be endured. These
were all repealed, and "thc oppressed
rich" relieved from the burdens OF sup
porting the government. All! How
tenderly the Republican party looks
after those who toll not, or spin not
Sir, ii these income and other taxes I
have mentioned had been permitted to
stand. they would long since have
wiped out our national debt, improved
all tho rivers and harbors appropriated
or estimated for, built all the fortiti-
cations now contemplated around our
coast and paid all the pensions.
THE REBATE SYSTEM.
Tho system OF rebates is extended and
intensified by the present tariff law.
This has been another means used to
quiet the American people and keep
them from complaining against that
system. By this means the American
manufacturer is encouraged and ena-
bled to offer and sell the products OF
American manufacture to foreigners
more chcaply than tho same wares are
sold to tho Amorican laborer and Amer
lean citizens.
Where is tho justice in this?. Why
sell to pauper abroad at less price
than laborer at home? Why fleece
your neighbor in q way that no other
country is required to, or will endure :?
We may admit for the sake OF argument
that commerce that is even bolstered
up by the pillars that sustain rebates is
better than no commerce at all. But
even when we concede this, we have not
conceded and do not concode the stabil-
ity OF q system that requires such bols
tcrins, or the justice OF such taxation.
Mr.. Chairman, tho rebate paid to tho
Standard Oil company alone on the
taxes collected from tho tin plate
imported last year amounted to, it is
said, about 100000.
Mr.. Chairman, if no other good re-
suited from the Mckinley bill it has
taught the American people that the
tariff is tax and q tax upon the people
who consume tho articles upon which
it is levied. The day that the tax was
removed from sugar the price went
down in all American markets, an
amount about equal to tho duty re-
moved. On the other hand when an
additional. tax OF 1.2 cents hundred
was imposed on tin plato, tin plate went
up in price all over the country. So, on
pearl buttons, upon which the duty was
vastly increased.
Mr. Chairman, there is another pro.
vision OF the present law that should be
amendcd-thc one allowing those who
arc opulcnt enough and have tho leisure
TO 60 abroad and to bring in FREQ OF
duty quantities OF clothes as wearing
apparel TO illustrate, Il rich man 60.
ing abroad can bring back thousands OF
dollars worth OF wearing apparel free
from taxation, but if one OF his humble
laborers woro to seek 10 get 500 worth
ofwoolcns brought back by him for tho
use Of his family he would have to pay
according to the average rate on wooden
goods more than 500 duty, and on some
grades ho would be compelled to pay
knit goods more than $500 duty. There
should be some limit placed upon the