Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-06-16
WHERE IS THE CONSUMER
Nj. Rights Ignored by Protectlonlst Fan
derers 10 the Producer

. III
derers TO the roducer
We we're prepared for almost any re-
suit Of the customary Mysteries OF the
New York Press. but we hardly looked
for il to stumble upon such an honest
condemnation of protection as thus
"a ssrlg measure which discrlmlna'es
AGAINST one section in favor OF ~another' anu
which ronfers immense benefits upon a slusle
interest At the expense Of a whole people Is ho'
protection, but spolistion,
There never was a tariff measure CON
ceived that failed to do this very
thing. There never will be one, as
long as n section differs from an
other In its natural adaptation TO GER
tain industries. The industry with the
strongest pull gets the biggest protec-
sion and holds it until som other III
terest comes along and complains that
It has been injured by the protection
of the other. Then another attempts
made at an equal distribution OF the
| stolen cheese, to be followed by more
| complaints, with the result that the
average of protection is pushed higher
and higher in the effort to satisfy all
II there Is such a thing as genuine
protection" under which, as the fress
AYERS. "all American producers possess
equal rights and enjoy equal PRIV
lcges.'' what of the consumer? HIS
very existence is forgotten. lie is not
so much as mentioned while those VINO
despoil him are trying to divide the
| booty. And when an attempt is made
to ease the crushing weight OF taxa
ton which rests upon his bending
shoulders and to place a little oft upon
the possessors of large incomes, a cry
goes up that such a measure is con'-
munism and sectionalism.
There is no better answer to this
folly and no better defense of the
rights of the consumer than certain
words of Hon. John Sherman, which
were quoted without challenge no
longer than last November by Hon. L..
s.. Hall, of Missouri, in Q speech before
the ways and means committee OF the
house as follows:
Tho public mind Is not yet prepared to
apply the key OF a genuine revenue reform, y
few years OF further experience will convince
the whole body Of our people that q system OF
national taxed which rests the whole burden or
taxation on consumption, and not one cent on
property and income, Is intrinsically unjust
While the expenses Of the national government
are largely caused by the protection of prop
erty, IT Is but right to coll on property TO con-
tribute to its payment. II will not 40 TO say
that each person consumes In proportion to his
means. This is not true. Every one must see
that the consumption OF the rich does not bear
the same relation to the consumption OF the
poor as the income Of the rich does to the
wages Of the poor. As wealth accumulateS,
this injustice In the fundamental basis Of our
system will be felt and forced upon The atten-
tion Of congress-
The injustice has been felt, and the
first attempt toward righting it finds
arrayed in opposition all the forces OF
protection and privilege which have
thriyed upon it. 1t is denounced as "a
fine upon thrift, " n ''confscation of the
savings of the industrious;' a some
thing that will discourage economy.
Does anyone who applies these cpl
thets to 1t know of anybody who would
not rather have an income Of four
thousand dollars a year, with a 2 per
cent. tax on 1t, than not to have such
an income to taX?-LouiSville Courier
journal.