Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-03-22
Where the Tariff 10 she Tax.

II takes Nj. Porter's very late
census to prove what a great coun-
try this 10, if census figures fou,
years after date are capable 81
proving anything, and the redeem,
ing features about their tardy .ap.
pearance 10 the interest attaching
to them. What manufacturer
add to the national wealth 10 al.
ways significant of prosperity,
When the census closed in 1890
it recorded 355,4O1 establishment
to the credit of the mechanical and
manufacturing industries, an in
crease of 1o1 $40 during the de
cade. The capital invested amounts
to the stupendous aggregate of Sc,
134.475,3O5, the employees number
4,771,812. the wages paid
amounted to e2,2s2, s23, 1856, an
average of CATS. The cost Of ma.
t~erials used was 81, 15S, SOS, 1853,
and the value of the product was
%, 37o,1O7,624. Nj. Porte. en-,
deavors to show in his bulletin the
real contribution to the wealth OF
the country to be 44,211,2a9,271
on the line OF increased value of
the raw materials, and be gets this
by deductinR S5,15s,8os. 35s, the
cost of the material used, from the
value OF the products.
That is Mr.. P0rter's way of look.
ing at it, and 10 doubtless quite a
correct view TO take, but the aver.
age of $47s paid 10 1890 to the 4,
s71,s12 employees in the various in.
dnstries, 10 the one point that MI.
Heater dismisses without comment.
The census exhibits of q nation
taxed into prosperity by tariff
whose subsidies arc not reckoned
in the census account is always en-.
tertsinlng. How far the tariff duty
covered the materials used in tho
manufactured article. and the
amount of that duty as a tax, is
perhaps beat known in the customs
schedules, which aggregated $198,
100000 for the census year. This
duty was affixed to the market
prices of the manufactured product,
and the consumers eventually paid
it with just Ne much additional
profit 10 the manufacturer thought
it would stand. and then the retail
dealer ended the situation with his
per cent. simply a. q matter of
business.
The average of e47s paid the 4,
771,S12 employees represents the
proportion the manufactures were
willing to give skilled and IN,
skilled labor, and how great that
proportion rhould have been, not
what it really was. will eve be
known, 40 Mr.. Porter's bulletin
refuses to deal in statement. show.
ing the compensatory balanch
guarantee by the Mckinley tariff
bill, bet which balance skilled and
unskilled labor has never expe,
rienced no O wages benefit.
To make the wages lists look
large and commanding, Mr.. Por.
ter simply, appends the total of 50,
2s2. $685. 65 rs wages paid, without
reference to the continued reduc,
tons during the decade. but the
$47S average is = valuable aid tc
au appreciation Of what labor gets
and the $4.211, 239, 271 credit te
increased valuation ia no Longer
obscured when it 10 understood a,
the share of the manufacturers; o.
what was made on $6.124,475.3O!
of invested cspital in the censu
year.
Tho story Of the figures is plat,
enough in that sort Of analysis, an,
it 10 sufficient to indicate how grea
this country ID really be if tn
interests of all were served BY /.
lust and equable protective systen
in which everv one had the benei
aud not the favored few.