The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-11
ROANOKE. VA. NOVEMBER II, 1892.
THE TARIFF is n TAN.

The enormous and far reaching eX-
tent of the Democratic victory is being
rapidly driven home to tho country.
The Democratic party hes served nearly
its forty years in the wilderness, for not
since 1856 has national election been
held which saw the party in complete
possession Of the admin tratlvc and
legislative departments Of tue Govern
ment. The election OF 1854 was but a
glimpse into Canaan for the Republicans
still held the Federal Senate with . firm
grasp.
Several positions are borne in upon
tho rarty with irresistible force. Tho
country is opposed to Federal inter
ference with State elections. The
statutes need to be amended to take
away the present dangerous and obstruc-
tive power of which the people had a
taste on Tuesday.
The people want reform in tho tariff.
Tho limo OF reduction and removal will
unquestionably be in the direction of
free raw material. 1t will undou btediy
be accompanied by sharp and fearless
reduction of the tariff on every article
which has fallen into the hands of a
trust There are not less than twenty
of these articles and they range from
rcRned sugar to type.
If the admission of free raw material
has the effect on other articles as that
which has followed tho admission of
hides-the enormous increase of our
export trade in the manufactures of
icather-and THE TIMES believes it
will, the whole country, irrespective Of
party, will advance steadily toward a
removal OF tho tariff barriers which
havo shut olr manufacturers from the
markets of The world. Great Britain
became the wealthiest country in the
world by becoming the creates. trading
nation in the world Her supremacy
will bo a thing OF the past whom Amer
lea throws oil tho clogs which have i'm
paded her commercial progress.
With tho reform of the tariff comes
tho question OF revenue. Tho masses are
not yet educated up to the fact til direct
taxation is the lightcst and cheapest, and
tnat tariff for revenue has less logic
and justice than q tariff for protection.
Let us take an example. Suppose the re
is uniform tariff on tea of 25 cents a
pound. The average American uses
two pounds year. The city OF Roam
~oke then would use $4,000 pounds =
year. and pay Is Federal tax on tea OF
Sl2,5o0 per annum.
The total wealth OF Roanoke is abou
&l7,500, 00p. Tho head OF tho Wander
bilt family is worth $4,000 600, or ten
times as much as every man, woman
and child in Roanoke. Supposing tha at
he gorged and drenched himself with
tea; supposing that he is Il tea fond and
got drunk on tea, no might be able to
consume fifty pounds of tea a year.
His tax on tea won d be sig so, Just one
tenth Of one per cent. of what the peo-
PIE Of Roanosc would have to pay-a
manifest injus 0ico and one which in the
aggregate falls with crushing weight
upon the masses.
Suppose on the other hand that the
Government should prefer to raise a
revenue by direct taxation and should
pass law adding 70 all existing States
and local taxes q levy Of one mill on
the dollar. Roanoke would then con.
tribute S17,50O on her $l75D0 900 of
property and friend Vanderbilt would
have to come up with SITS, 0--decid edlv
better and fairer than the tax on tea 1t
tea would yield the Federal treasury
S3o,0o0,0O year and would cost every
head Of family OF four 81. direct
tax of one mill on tho dollar would put
$4,000, 600 in the United States Treas
ury and each OF family would have to
pay 81 ON each 81, 900 that no is assessed.
The reader can figure it out for himself
which would pc the cheaper.