Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-12-09
Essex County Gerald.
ISLAND POND. VT. DECEMBER s.
A FEW OF THE PALACES OF THE
TIMES.

the subject OF the tarlH presents
the most difficulties even to the
intelligent voter. When made
use of as a political machine tits
the most elastic and has the
greatest adaptability to the pur-
poses of politician than any
other instrumentalitv known to
politics. This arises from the
fact that when reasoning concern
ing it in the abstract it leads to
one condition of things; but
when in the concrete it is used it
leads to quite different conclu-
sions. Besides, when applied to
one article with reference to GER
tain of its specific conditions, a
certain tariff with reference to it
may appearerroneous; but when
it is balanced with other interests
and conditions which properly
relate to it, the tariff appears
quite the contrary. Now to il
lustrate: A tariff is removed
from the article of sugar Soon
after sugar begins to sell for two
cents per pound less than before.
Then the free trader triumphant
" saws see how the poor man
thatcOnsumes sugar is benefited
Ofcourse the person whom he
addresses is apt to stop right
there and exclaim, true enough !!
He don't go along to see that
this move has put every sugar
maker, whose wages we'll sup
pose to be two dollars per day,
in competition with foreign Ia
Dor at one dollar per day, thus
losing the competitive advan-
tage Of q dollar a day in exchange
for the advantages of having
what sugar he uses that day re-
duced. But, replies the free
trader, if it reduces the wages OF
sugar workers don't the reduc-
ton in the price of sugar benefit
all other consumers of it? Here
again, if you stop here, the free
trader has the argument. Sup
pose then, further, that all du-
ties are removed from lumber
YOU have a large class of con
sumers benefited, perhaps, by it,
but you have vastly larger
number in the same condition OF
the sugar workers, and the far,
Their you extend this principle the
more laborers you involve in
ruinous competition. Take the
duties off from all manufactured
articles and all laborers in manu-
factories are "in the soup just
as they are now even in the fear
of such condition of things.
Again, the free trader asserts
that it is as plain as that two
and two make four that the con
sumner pays the duties; while the
protectionist asserts that the i'm
porter or foreigner pays the du
ties. Stopping right here, notice
how incomplete the considera
ton Of this subject now is. Ell
Their of those propositions may
be true, and neither of then
may be. And the fact does no
rest upon abstract and absolute
propositions like these. If TIL
absence of duties on an article
induces an importation Of tina
article in sufficient quantities in
dependent of any other consider
alton to reduce it's market price
then the consumer is relieved tt
the extent which such importa
ton so induced reduces the valu
of the commodity; but to sa,
absolutely that the price of TIL
article is reduced by reduction
measured by the amount of tn
duties is a reductio ad abSurdun
Take an illustration: A owns ;
farm on the border line in Yer
mont; B another in Canada
c, a hay purchaser, finds tina
each has hundred tons of hay
each of equal quality with tn
other. The hav of the Canada,
is produced with half the pric
of labor that is required by TIL
Vermont farmer. A demands c
the purchaser twenty dollars pc
ton for his hay; B demands tn
same price. But says the pun
chaser can't pay you twent
dollars per ton for your hay an
then pay the duties. That woul
be paying you in market twenty
two dollars per ton for the sam
Find of hay that can purchas
in Vermont for twenty dollar
per ton. So that the Canada
must and does in practice Sc
his hay for eighteen dollars pc
ton. Now who does the tw
dollars come out of? Does tn
purchaser pay it or does B pa
it? But says the free trader yo
are leaving out the consumer i
this consideration. Now, it de
ponds entirely upon circumstar
ces whether he is left out or not
or to what extent, if at all, he i
being considered. Certainly ur
der the operation of the tariff tn
importer paws the duty; bu
with the tariff off whether tina
condition would induce the in
portation of enough more hay t
reduce its price, or how much
would reduce it. is a mere matte