Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-05-17
THE SOUTH FEELS 1T.
Income Tax Works Both Ways, and
Protection Good for Everybody.

Income Tax Works Both Ways, and
Protection Good for Everybody.
Free traders here rejoiced when the
income tax became law, because 'It
will hit hard the Yanks and scarcely
notice the South" There are not
many who pass the $4,000 exemption,
while very many con Q within the
specified amount requi 1g reports to
be made and sworn to-, viz, $4,000.
But almost this entire contingent
labored under the assumption that
$4,000 meant net after deducting gen.
eral expenses; but Instruction 8 on
the blank puts very different light
on the scope of the law to that which
they had regarded as correct. Hence,
it is not very difficult matter to find
many who now wish they hadn't. 1t
is found that many, who were over
ioyed at the thought this was intended
solely for the North and had but little
or no effect on the South, are about
the first to curse the Democrats for
enacting it. Again, it is now dawn
ing upon them that there can be
really no such thirgas class legislation,
strictly speaking.
Heretofore, it was quite fashionable
here to oppose protection on the
ground it was for the benefit of tine
North and East. Our folks would
never occupy half way ground, hence
they were out and out free traders.
Now, it is not unusual to hear many
T ,rlopc%oA1 %b;o
of protection. I see what it is and
how detrimental its effects are upon
the whole country. 1 am convinced
there is nothing but protection that
can lift this country out of the unpar-
alleled condition we are in. And I
am ready to vote for a very Chinese
wall of protection for both commerce
and immigration.
The gentleman who made the above
remarks was drummer for whole.
sale dry goods house in this city, and
cited, as the basis of his argument,
the article of hose. He carried sam
ples of imported French hose retailing
ct eighty-tive cents per pair, while he
also carried American made hose that
sold at retail for less than one-half,
and said: "Now if my wife or your
must have imported hose it is right
that they pay for this fad, for it is
nothing less than fad" Upon i'm
migration he said: 81 know of several
instances where foreigners now have,
at $65 per mouth. places that Ameri-
cans formerly filled and got $125 for,
and these foreigners could hardly
speak English we'll enough to wait on
q customer.
"Now I want to say this to you," he
continued. II used to scorn you for
no other reason than you were a Re-
publican-because you were protec-
tionist-and feel very much like I
owe you an apology Tor entertaining
such an opinion of you. For I now
see you were right, when was wrong.
And do actually feel better since l
made this admission.
I asked him how his sales now COM
pared with 1891 and 1892. His face
at once assumed a sad expression and
looking me in the face said; "What' 8
the use asking such question? You
know it's like comparing dimes with
doubloons. Every merchant who had
no trouble two or three years ago to
sell, now acts as if he looked upon me
with suspicion-not glad to see me, as
in the past and all the men on the
road tell the same tale" And it is a
fact. You KNOW WHO.
Louisiana, April 16, 1895.