The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-09-01
THE TARIFF TAX.

now ITS UBIQUITOUS OPERATIONS BENE-
FIT FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF
THE MANY.
According to the census OF 1870, the
United States has in round numbers 63,-
900, 900 of population and S63, O00, ,oOo,-
900 worth of property, yet less than
twenty-five thousand individuals own
one half of this vast wealth. 1t has
been piled up for the most part under
our tariff systems within the last thirty
years.
During this period, labor, the primary
origin of wealth, has produced this vast
accumulation, three-fourths of which
has been monopolized and concentrated
in the hands of one twcnty-fifth
hundredth part of our population.
If the question is asked how this has
been done, the answer will be found in
our tariff taxation laws, of which the
Mckinley act, passed by the Fifty-irst
Congress, is a pertinent example, since
it illustrates the most perfectly organ
ized system for the scientific plundering
of the masses of the people that has been
devised since the establishment OF our
Government.
A tariff tax, briefly explained, is one
that requires the citizen to pay for the
privilege of buying certain things he
may need outside of the United States.
1t compels him to buy things at home at
higher prices, the difference or profit
going into the pockets of the home
manufacturer.
Under Its operation, when the mer-
chant orders his goods from abroad, he
pays the tax or duty upon them as they
enter the United States through the
Custom House, but the consumer pays it
back to him as part of the price OF the
goods. They may pass through dozen
hands from the importer to the COM
mission merchant, the jobber and the re-
taller, but they will carry all the while
the burden of this tax, and in the end
the consumer will foot the bill. Thus
the tariff becomes a tax, whatever un-
scrupulous politicians may say to the
contrary.
A duty levied upon articles not pro-
duced in this country, such as tea, cof-
fee, spices and the like, is simply q
dead letter, but that which is levied
upon articles manufactured here, and
x.ich.we can buy more .cheaply abroad,
enables the home manufacturer to
charge for his products with the tariff
tax added. That is what is meant by
protection against foreign competition,
but the process compels the farmer and
mechanics to go down in their pockets
and pay bonus for the privilege of
buying what they need.
In illustrating this point Congressman
Bushnell, OF Wisconsin,, recently pre-
sented familiar example. He said:
"Suppose Philadelphia man manu-
factures all the hats made in this coun-
try and makes hat at a cost of labor
and material that enables him to sell it
for dollar and make fair profit. A
Frenchman in Paris makes precisely the
same kind of hat at the same cost and
sells it at the same price. If buy a
hat from the Philadelphia man he gets
the profit. If order hat from the
Frenchman he gets the profit and l pay
the freight to bring it home. The
Philadelphia man has the advantage
over the Frenchman by reason of the
freight. But, understand me, the French
man buys our shiploads of pork, of
which we have more than we can use or
sell at home, and he trades us his hats
tor our surplus pork at a better price
than we can get for it at home. Natural
ly we buy good many hats from that
Frenchman.
"This, howeve2, does not suit the Phil
adelphia man. He wants bigger profits
and the monopoly of all the hats that
are sold in this coautry, as we'll as to.
make us pay for the privilege of buying
that Frenchmans hat. How does he
obtain it9 He says to Uncle Sam.
That Frenchman is trading here and
selling hats in my home market where |
pay taxes and he does not; therefore he
is taking money out of the country, and
want protection. Suppose you make a
law that for every hat that Frenchman
sells into this country he shall pay voc
one dollar; that will put money into
your Treasury and protect my home
market
Forthwith law is made that the
Frenchman's hats shall pay tariff duty
of $1, VIXEN they are brought into the
United States. Now what is the situa-
tion2 If buy one of those hats must
pay 80 for it; 81 to the Frenchman in
Paris and 81 to Uncle Sam at the Gus
tom House. How about the Philadel-
phia man selling his hats MOVIE Will he
continue tc sell his hats at 81 each? Not
much. He will charge So each, 81 of
which is the increased profit We are
forced to pay him by reason of this
abominable tariff tax. Thus, the tariff
is practically prohibitory."
Aside from this grant of special priv
ilege, or monopoly to the home man
ufacturers, however, and its effect in
restraining foreign competition, the
Mckinley law imposes burden upon
our people, and takes from the consumer
the profits that make the home manu-