The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-03-29
CARNEGlE'S TARIFF BILL.


] do with the tariff
His answers are In much the same
vein as are those Of Eli Perkins. now
running in the American Economist.
They are sound. sensible and truthful,
and are the results Of logical. prac-
teal, business Niind applied To certain
undeniable facts and conditions.
Thus. works Of art should bc free be-
cause almost all art treasures "find
their permanent resting place sooner
or later in public galleries" There
fore we may infer that our 81, 900. 900
worth OF imported paintings in oil or
water colors are added To our five or
six public galleries each year. Many
OF Us will appreciate our galleries more
now that we know what values they
contain.
lie tells us in all seriousness that lit
should never bc forgotten that inn
ported articles are used by the rich and
home products by the masses" This
explodes the common fallacy that the
great bulk Of imported goods sugar,
tea. coffee. woolcns. metals chemicals
and drugs. cotton linen and silk goods.
etc lis used by the masses. Professors
Of political economy still cling To this
fallacy.
Carnegie classes our importations Of
wool, silk. cotton and flax manufac-
lures as ''luxuries of the rich" The
idea that these goods are ever worn by
the common people is as foreign To his
mind as his Cluny castle is To this coun-
try. lie blamcs Wilson for reducing
duties on these luxurics which fur
nish two-thirds of the entire revenue
from the tariff lie says: Not one
working man in the whole land uses
these Injuries" and adds. impressive
lv. ''Such Is tariff reform up TO date,
and thus is the burden Of taxation re-
moved from the masses of the people.
Strange delu,ion' The taxes are re-
moved only from the rich my tar
it, he concludes, would about double
present duties upon all OF these lux
uries." lie thus believes in making
the tariff sort of class tax on his rich
friends. lie is not however, in favor
of an income tax because while II is
in theory a just tax" in practice 1t
tends ITO make a nation Of liars" and
is perhaps the most pernic'ous form
of taxation which has ever been con-
ceived since human society has settled
into peaceful government. No sys-
tenn can long withstand such logical
assaults as these.
He favors reciprocity ito the fullest
extent" except with wicked. monarch
zeal Canada. lie would chastisc her by
taxing even the food and the ncces-
saries of the people when imported
from this odious un-American coun-
try But. of course. ''if Canada were
free and independent and threw in her
lot with this continent (hc does not
tell us on what continent her lot j. now
cast. ii would bc different matter. :"
II would not then injurc our people to
eat cheap Canadian food
He would restore the bounty on SUI
gar TO continue 1.-THE bect-root and
sorghum experiment, lin the hope
that this country might ultimately
succeed in producing its own supply"
He would. however admit sugars free
from such countries as give us salts
factory advantages in return. which
would practically make them all free"
lie displays his practical knowledge
of business and politics when he de-
clares that "thc tariff once settled.
there should be tariff legislation only
in the second year after each census,
except in an emergency" when duties
should be still further increased upon
'such imports as are Injuries Of the
extravagant rich" This should be
done with the understanding and con-
sent of both political parties" This is,
perhaps. the most simple method yet
propoundcd Of separating tariffs, poll
ties and business.
lie thinks that IA reduction of more
than onc-half of the duty at one time
upon an article is inexpedcnt and even
dangerous" This is rough on his re-
publican friends who. in $500. removed
at once. all of the duties on raw sugars,
acorns. chiclSory root. and common
blue clay. As judged by the elections
of 1890 and isgo this sudden removal OF
all duties did prove to be "incxpedicnt
and even dangerous" to the rcpub-
Leans.
After having shown such intimate
and practical knowledge Of economics,
business. politics and human nature.
we should expect to see him take the
liable. honest. jealous and pure" Mr..
Wilson 10 task for attempting 10 lift.
in his theoretical way. "thc unncces-
sary burden Of onerous tariff taxation
from the masses of the people" In ac-
counting for the misbehavior of the
Wilson bill which unexpectedly re-
duccd duties upon twothirds of the to.
tai tariff revenucs-cxclusivcly for the
benefit of the rich. who alone use i'm.
ported goods" - Mr. Carnegie says,
THE explanation is easy. lie prof
WILSON, was inexperienced. lie had
not studied the question. very much
doubt whether he would to-day pro
duce n measure so foreign To his pub
lished intentions. II Is q matter Of Sc
rious import that such n man as he !,
relcgatcd TO private life simply be
cause one district votes for another
Our custom Of choosing only repre-
sentatives resident In the district loses
us many invaluable men. Mr. Wilson
Is to-day capable Of performing work
of the best character. because he has