The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-21

Under Law Tarins-what the Wa.
Farmer Gets.
In speech at Winston, N. c., the
other day, Gan. Stevenson paid his re-
spects to the Mckinley bill in these
words:
That law was passed in the interests of
the manufacturers or this country to en-
able them to amass colossal fortunes at
the expense OF the great mass OF consul
mers. Now, 1 am going to speak to you
OF tarin taxes, and when we say tariff we
mean taxes, and taxes always and under
all circumstances, indirectly or directly,
come out of the pockets of the people.
The Walker tariff bill was passed in 1S46.
It was a tariff law passed by Democrat
ic congress and approved by Democrat
ic president, who was born in North Car
olina, President Polk, who first saw the
light OF day In Mecklenburg county.
Under that law the average taxes upon
the necessaries OF life were but 10 per
cent. There has never been a period in
our history when it was easier fox the
man who earns his bread by daily to-: to
earn living for himself and his family.
Whyf
For the reason that the cost Of clothing
farming utensils, of everything you have
to buy for your families, was cheaper
than at any other period since the earli-
est days OF our history, the people were
happy, the people prospered; the dollar
they earned bought more of the neces-
saries OF life then before or since. Then
when the Republican party came into
power in the interests OF the protected
classes tariff taxes were raised, first by
the Morrill, tariff bill until they reached
40 per cent. then by q su bsequent aid of
Rspubl congress until the average
rate Of tariff taxes was AZ per cent.
There was a demand all over the coun-
try for reduction OF tariff taxes. A Re-
publican congress responded to that de-
mand by the passage of the Mckinley
bill, by which the rate was increased to
40, go, 80, and in some instances 100 per
cent.
That bill was not intended to benefit
the people. 1t was passed in the interest
of the privileged classes of this country.
By the Mckinley bill imports were cut
of and the treasury was deprived of tho
revenue it would otherwise have obtained
under a moderate tariff. So that the
effect of that legislation was first to in
saries OF life, and In the second place by
the erection of a Chinese wall OF prohibi-
ton against foreign goods to deprive the
treasury OF the revenue that was neces.
sary to meet the current expenses OF tho
general COVE rnment. You will. remem-
Der the author of that bill said that ita
object was to check importation. What
does that mean?
ma IN h. {rt~ ~drtA tArs
OF imports into this country and thereby
to leave it in the power OF the homo
manufacturer to increase the cost OF
articles that you are compelled to buy.
You know that just in proportion as this
tariff was increased it gave to the home
manu- acturer power to increase to the
consumer the cost OF all articles. The
Repu b! lean party takes credit for reduc-
ing the price of sugar.
The NICK inley law takes tho tariff OF
sugar, thereby depriving the government
OF a large revenue it has hitherto re-
ceved, and at the same time provides for
bounty of 100000 900 for fifteen years to
be paid to the sugar growers to compen-
safe them for the removal of the tariff
protection. This bounty comes out of
your pockets. But by removing the
tariff from sugar they have taught the
people to ask if it decreases the cost Of
sugar to place it on the free list.
Wouldn't it have the same effect to put
boots, shoes and wooden goods on the
free list? They tell you the tariff is not
Tor the benefit OF the agricultural classes.
They tell you that high tariff will in
crease the price of articles produced on
your farms. Ny fellow citizens, what is
true of the toilers of the soil in North
Carolina is true of them in Illinois and in
every state. Let me tell you that there ID
no protection tor you.
The products of your soil are sold In
the open, unprotected markets OF the
world, and then, after selling in an open,
unprotected market, you are compelled
to take the price of your products and by
the necessaries of life in a protected mar
ket. The wage Garner receives no benefit
from a high tariff. His wages are govern
cd by the law OF supply and demand, and
the only effect of high tariff is to lessen
their purchasing power. Under the ad-
ministrstion OF Washington the tariff
taxes were per cent. Under the admin
istration closing about 1850 81 the aver
age rate of tariff taxes was 10 per cent;
under the Morrill, law As per cent; under
subsequent acts of congress Al per cent;
under the Mckinley law so, 80, 100 per
cent. Now, waxe-earuers, tell me have
your wages gone up as the tariff taxes
have gone up?