St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-12
o-thirds of the business men of the


When our direct tax which we pay
here III the state of Minnesota is two or
three dollars on hundred, we think we
are paying quite enough, but by the
method of indirect taxation we are pay
ing over $50 on hundred.
venture to say, Mr.. Chairman, that
II the amount that we are paying to the
United States government by this sys-
tenn of indirect taxation was collected
directly by tax gatherer so that the
people could be made to appreciate the
amount of their forced contribution
there would De great danger of revO-
luton.
ProtectioniSts claim that protective
tariff makes things cheaper and protects
labor. These are decisions, but they
furnish the foundation for whatever
argument the advocates of this
system may be able 10 present for
continuing in force method of
taxation which makes the rich richer
and the poor poorer. a system that is
the breeder Of trusts, strikes and dis
content. If a protective tariff makes
things cheaper, how is it that in free
trade countries the same articles have
gone down and are cheaper than here?
How can loading a thing down with a
protective duty
Make 1t Cost LESS?
If such should be the case. then the
next thing would be to argue the con-
verse of this proposition, that low or
no tariff would beget nigh prices, which
we all know is not the case.
We have made progress in invention
and the scientific application of machin-
cry, cheapeing the cost of production.
doing away with the clumsy methods of
olden times. This accounts for the
cheaper products and cheaper ma
terials.
Let me bring to your attention one
article which is so often referred to by
protectionists. Wire nails.
Originally nails were made by ham,
merlEg each one out separately. 1t
was. of course, a slow process. In
time. however, Il machine was invented
to make them 100 and then LOCO times
faster than they could be hammered out
by hand. This improvement went on
until now there are 154 separate and dis
tinct inventions for the manufacture of
wire nails.
The tariff OH wire nails two inches
long and longer under the Mckinley
bill is two cents per pound. These
nails have been selling lately in the
pound. Now, will some protectionist
get up and ask. docs the consumer pay
the taX?" Yes, he paid the tariff on
all wire nails imported last year.
But none OF this kind were i'm
ported last year. We imported S274
worth of wire nails last year, and as
these were valued at six cents per pound
they could not be Of the kind sold here
for l and 65-1G0 cents per pound, or they
would not have been imported into this
country. What need can there be for
tariff of 2 cents per pound on wire
| nail which costs l and 65-l00 cents per
pound, if it is not to foster trust, or
| enable one to be formed.
The Republican platform adopted at
Minneapolis June 10 claims that the
Republican party is III favor of protec
ton to the extent Of the difference of
the cost of labor in this country and
abroad. On this theory the cost of max
ing wire nail abroad is one-tE!rd of
cent
/ Less TInan Nothing
Let me give you an Illustration of
how this protective theory would work
right here III St. Charles. You have some
timber in this c0unty-not great deal
perhaps-but if the owners of it had the
exclusive control of the wood market
here, or if the duty on wood coming
intoWinOna county was fixed at a sum
say specific duty of 81 OH cord
and 50 per cent ad valorem, and
say that wood was worth 50 per
cord without the duty. Then the owner
OF timber inWinona county could charge
Sc per cord for wood. This might be
serious matter to poor man who could
get no coal and had to blow his fingers
n thnn1 I'm
obtained in great quantities along the
Mississippi. In counties east of
you, for $3.50 or 81 per
cord and the transportation and other
charges would cost say dollar more, so
that it could be laid down here for So
per cord. But the protected wood dealer
in Winona county tells you that by Civ
ing him this great protection lie will
pay his wood chopper better wages.
which he never does, or if ne
does he makes them chop more wood.
For the fact is now well established
that. as a general rule. the labor cost in
an article manufactured in America is
less than the labor cost of like articles
manufactured abroad. This is especially
SO in articles
Requiring Skill in Making.
The labor cost of Waltham watch is
less than like watch made in Europe.
SO il is with boots and shoes, and there
is 10 reason in the world why we CAN
not compete with any country in the
world. A ships anchor, in which there
S a minimum of labor and a maxi
mum of material. can probably be
made cheaper abroad than here, but
in all cases where skilled labor enters
into the thing made, OF in other words
where there is maximum of labor and
minimum of material we can compete
with any OF the so-called ''pauper labor"
of Europe. Because Americans have
greater energy, perseverance and ability
to turn out more of the finished product
in given time.
The Farmers, Share.
We must not, however, forget that the
farmer was remembered when the Nc
Kinley bill was framed, but let us see
how he was taken III on the ground
floor of that Ubiquitous measure.
This act, which largely increased the
duties on table and pocket cutlery,
glassware, cutlery, cotton, WOODEN
worsted and linen goods, on, many
articles of iron and steel, and has
more than doubled the daty on tin
plate, thereby adding largely to the cost
OF living III every humble home
throughout our lana; also raised the
duty on wheat to p cents per bushel and
oats to ID cents per bushel; potatoes
to % cents per bushel, on beef, mutton,
pork and lard to 2 cents per pound, on
bacon and hams to cents per pound,
and on hay to 81 per ton. Dried apples
were taken from the free list and sub
jected TO duty of cents per pound.
Eg~,SWere made dutiable at ) cents per
| doZe.l, fresh milk at cents per gallon,
! cabbage at cents per head. but sauer
kraut was left on the free list.
Imported straw must row pay
a duty of 80 per cent ad valo-
rn1n .EnnN numiit in 0rd1r To Ln.-o