Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-14

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The Defiance Democrat has been telling its
readers that the tariff on wool is II cents per
pound and that it is now selling for and 10
cents. AS the Democrat has been preaching
for many years that the tariff was tax, 1t
might plain to its readers who pays the
tariff tax on the and 10 cent wool.-Repub-
licdn Erpress.
How funny our esteemed contemporary is
getting as it grows older. The Erpress
knows that there is no tax on home grown
wool, but it is also aware there is McKin-
ley "protection to farmers" of II cents on
foreign grown wool, which must be paid at
the port of entry before it can be landed in
this country. The Express further knows
that it, In common with the rest of the Re-
publican press, has been shouting for years
that the higher the tariff tax on foreign woods
the higher would be the price of wool for
sheep raisers in this country. 1t knows now
as well as every reading farmer knows, that
theory has proven false, for just as surely as
the tariff on oreign wool has been increased
just go surely has the American wool decreas-
ed, until now, with the greatest protection"
ever given to the home wool grower the price
of his product is lower than ever before. So
much for" protection" to the American sheep
raisers, as proveded by the Republican party.
Now the ErpresS wants to know who pays
the tax. The American people who are CON-
PEELED to buy goods of wooden manufacture
pay it. The deluded farmer who voted for
Mckinley protection" on his wool and who
is now selling his crop for s and 10 cents
helps to pay it as the difference between the
cost of the tariff-taxed wool to the manufac-
turer and what il would cost If it were not
taxed, and also as bonus to the manufac-
turer for the protection given to him against
competition with foreign made goods. The
people pay the tax, but not to the American
farmer. who is the last man on earth to re-
ceive any benefit from any of the tariff taxes.
The Mckinley law was not framed to put any
of the tariff taxes into the farmers pocket.
1t was made for him to ray-notreceive. In
| the manufacture of wooden goods foreign
grown of longer texture than can be grown
in this climate are of absolute necessity. The
home grown wool goes all right for filling.
When the tariff tax on foreign wools was ir-
creased the manufacturer was compelled 10
pay Just that much more for his raw mater
ial from abroad. To keep up the same profit
on his manufactured goods he must reduce
the cost Of something else. Right then and
there the home wool grower &c it where the
bottle go the CO. k The manufacturer said
to the farmer, II have got to pay more for
foreign wool and you will have to take less
for yours or keep it. have got to make
some profit or quit doing business, and you
can take your choice, sell your wool for less
or Idon't buy" Whatcould the ''protsctedp
farmer do? He has his crop and was obliged
to sell for less. The Mckinley press md
platform shouters were of course very sorry
for the poor farmer. They told him it would
be right the next year. They said "pro-
lection" hadn't had lime to get In its work
yet. And the farmer afterwards found it
hadn't, for the next year their protected"
wool was still lower; and it has been going
down, down, ever since under this same style
of protection. And all thig time the far
mer has been paying the same tax on the
wooden goods he has bought. He has not
paid it into the q. s. Treasury but he has in
directly paid itinto the emslufacturer's pock-
ct to protect him againss foreign competition
Mckinley protection" saws the farmer of
at both ends; and the consumer pays the tax.
Defiance Democrat. M