The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-08-20
prIccs and ,crcentages.

Prices aud Percentages.
Our Democratic friends arc very fond
of juggling with percentages to convince
the people that tho reduced tariff is a
"reliof from taxation" For instance.
ono Of tho advocates Of the new tariff
bill declares that tho percentage Of duty
in tho Mckinley bill is9S5s, whilo that
OF tho Democratic biIl is but 3S.GS. ID
telIigcnt mon, those who stop to think
will not accept these statements as in-
dicating a lower rate Of living without
first investigating. II they expect that
they are to have burden removed
from their shoulders they arc doomed
to disappointment.
The New York Pres takes up this
question ut length. aud shows that duty
percentages. as representing tue cost oil
commodities TO consumers. arc always
misleading, for the reason that the per-
contage OF duty rises as the price falls.
The Pres cites rs an instance that q
duty OF s95 ton upon steel rails was a
% per cent duty when rails cost 500 q
ton; but it became 100 per cent duty
when the prico Of rails fell to Se5. Al.
though, says the Pres, the actual duties
in the Mckinley tariff have remained
unchanged. tho percentage duty has
risen In many cases because prices have
fallen since tho act was passed. What
consumers care for Is the price they
must Ray, not tho arithmetical relation
OF the duty to the price. That practical
~ all prIces arc lower now than they
were four years ago in an unquestion-
able fact. But tho free traders endeavor
to disguise it with percentage juggle
which confuses uulcarned mon.
Many duties have, indeed, boon do.
creased by the trainers of tho now tariff.
Bot, thon, US M offset. to this, duties
have boon placed upon articles which
have long boon free. Tho tax upon
sugar will search out aud impose upon
every householder in tho population u
burden which for four years he has not
borne. The income tax will he an un-
necessary and Irritating burden. The
increased tax upon alcohol will filch
money from every consumer of chemi-
calls aud OF other products OF industry.
What tho government will surrender in
duties at tho ports i. will obtain through
other forms Of taxation. The reduction
of duties upon imported materials is
largely FREQ gilt of money to foreigners
who desire to soil in this market. Tho
foreigner will pay less for the privilege,
and lust tho amount he is relieved from
the government will collect from tho
American people.
Our contemporary admits that it is
probably true that some prices will DO
lower, but, then also. it says, some
prices will DO higher, unj continues:
"While tho now tariff promises to re-
moyo n burden from tho shoulders Of
tho taxpayer, what it will really do will
10 to tigIs his pockets. Less duty for
the foreigner 10 pay means less
wages for every man engaged in
an industry subjected to foreign compe-
tition. Just how much workingman
eau savc by paying little less
for n suit OF clothes aud great deal
more for sugar and medicines may not
be ascertained without much iigur'
ing. hut no arithmetical dexterity Is
required to show that If, indeed, rs was
asserted in tho house, duties have been
reduced ovcr so per cent, wages will de-
clino to tho same extent That is to cay,
the wages Of tho mon who will still
have work. The workman who is COM.
PEELED to remain idlo will not find any
comfort at all in studying Domocratic
percentages; aud every halo Of Euro
poan gools brought in hero because the
way Inns been made easy by tariff re-
duc,ions will represent IN American
without work, or without any bread
I,,,, a. "a, gunpI;od Iy 1hnritvn