Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1893-09-22
EDITORIAL NOTES.
And Other Matters of Interest
to- the Readers of the
Courier.
Including Clippings From Our
Exchanges and Miscellane-
ous Matters.
TE1E WHAT AND WHY
OF TARIFFS

TE1E WHAT AND WHY
OF TARIFFS
Now that the revision of the tariff
Is again before the country, and
congress has taken it IN hand to i'm
prove, it may be we'll tor us to look
candidly into the whole question of
tariffs, protection and free trade with
q view to arrive at some understand
Ing Of underlying principles and how
they have operated in the history of
a people.
Take the matter of tariffs to be-
gin with. Tariff relates to goods on
which duties or customs are paid.
In commerce duty is the toll or tax
required by the government to be
paid on the Importation, or exporta-
ton, or consumption ofgoods. The
tax on land, or other real estate and
On the stock of farms is not called
duty but direct tax. A revenue
tariff is where the duties levied are
to get the means tor the support OF
the government in whole or in part.
A protective tariff is one that levies
duties upon articles which are pro-
duced in this country, and which
are, also, produced as sheap or
cheaper in some other country. A
protective tariff is always a revenue
tariff. A protective tariff has the
same effect upon the imported article
as revenue tariff, and in both in
stances the effect is to increase the
cost of the article in this market.
A tariff tor revenue only is levied
with regard to the protection of the
industries OF the land. A protective
tariff discriminates between the pro-
ducts of this country and those OF
other countries: 1t recognizes that
some articles are produced in this
country as we'll as in other coun-
tries, and that some articles are pro-
duced in. other countries which are
not in this. To illustrate: a tariff
for revenue only would not stop te
take account of the fact that tea and
coffee are not products OF this coun-
try; and if a tax were imposed upon
them their cost to us would be en-.
hanced without giving protection te
the producers. There are no pro
ducers in the country. To put ia,
on these articles would benefit nc
one here; but, on the other hand, i,
would be a detriment to all who use
them. A tariff for protection woulf
take account that tea and coffee are
products Of foreign countries, and
would impose no duties on them; be-
cause to do SO would enhance 'theil
price without benefit to any one
On the other nand protective tariff
would recognize that iron, cottor
and silk are American industries a!
we'll as English or European; and
owing to the high wages in this coun
try cannot be produced so cheaplJ
as in foreign countries; hence, woule
levy duties on them instead of te:
and coffee; and thereby would pro.
tect the industries here while getting
the means to support the government
A tariff for revenue only is based or
the theory of getting money to keeI
up the government without regard al
all to our own industries. They may
shift for themselves, live or die
prosper or languish. A protective
tariff is based on the theory that We
have industries which need 10 be
fostered and that our werkmen arc
as worthy of consideration as foreign
laborers. The radical difference be-
tween pretectionists and their op.
posers in relation to this matter is
that the former believe in killing two
birds with one stone while the latter
do not. Protectionists say: "Man'
uiactories are of vital interest in oul
Industrial system and need encour'