The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-31

The incidence of this tax (the tariff on
hidesl will redistribute itself on the con-
take part of it, being the profit they will
charge on what the bullock or calf costs
them extra by reason OF the tax. The pack
ers who buy the stock from those middle
men will charge over to the consumers the
extra price Of the bullock by reason of the
duty on the imported competing hide, and
some fraction OF profit thereon as on the
animal.
The tanner who buys the hides will charge
his profit on what they cost him. The shoe
maker and harnessmaker will do the same
on the retailer who sells the goods and
all the middlemen and retailers will try and
recoup the tax on hides ont of the consum-
ers.
But, in the first place the government will
get its tol on the imported hides Last year
the value of those hides was about thirty
millions. But the duty will reduce the ouan-
tity imported by from to 10 per cent. and
increase the domestic supply little say
Or per cent. For the increased price will
stimulate the raising Of cattle. The revenue
to be derived from this source, and which the
government needs greatly, may be estimated
at abs II four millions a year-the country
Is gaming to 212 per cent year in con-
sumers o. leather goods-less what is reim-
pcFsseu on re-eXports. But the consumption
OF domestic hides is ten or more times as
great as the importation of foreign hides.
ana the price OF all those hides will be in
creased a little, or per cent perhaps
MS may aggregate twenty-five to thirty
hve millions Of dollars in the United States
n
sum will find its way into the farmers pock-
etS IN the shape Of higher prices for their
stock; and out again in the increased cost
Oh their boots, shoes, harness, etc.-Chicago
Tribune.
The most rabid free trader could de-
sire no more complete or fcrcible ex-
position Of the working of a tariff than
that which is here set forth by cham
piOn of high protection. The incidence
OF any tax is the important feature.
Who is 1t, in the long run, who has to
foot the bill? Whenever any tax is
levied on anything under the sun the
struggle begins to shove the burden of
1t along from shoulder to shoulder IN
til 1t rests at last upon the last
man, the Forgotten Man. for whom
there is no escape The Trib-
une tells us who this last man is. With
out inquiring whether its distribution
Is accurate in the matter of assigning
a certain per cent to each factor in the
transaction, we may go right to the
conclusion that all the benefit of in
creased prices which can be received nv
the farmer, who raises the cattle, will
go out again 'fn the increased cost of
thelr boots, shoes, harness, ETC."
The estimate of revenue to be deriy-
Ell by the government is certainly oil
wrong The provision that the manu-
1acturers can claim a drawback on
goods exported to the full extent of tho
duty paid on imported hides LET'S tben,
out Of the game. Practically all tba
leather that they use, on which they
pay duty, Will be sent out If tbe conn
try by them in manufactured form ca
that they will get their money bool,
again. The Increased price to the CON.
gunner is the all-important item. For
this there IS no compensation what
ever, except the purely hypcthc+ic,,
enc of an alleged increase in the nricA
paid for hides to the persons who raise
tire cattle. With the entire packing in
dustry Of the country absolutely in tba
hands 0f four men, who can rcq,,Ia 70
prices to suit themselves, one can p,aes
very easily what would be left for +ba
VIII go, practically entire, to the pack
ing establishments, the Wholesaler and
the retailer while The whole sum IF in
Creased prices will be paid by tbo
consumer who is Obliged, by his neces-
Sites, 20 buy articles made OF leather
inc case under consideration is less
important in itself than it is in it's bear
Ing upon the whole protective system
the Incidence Of a tariff tax on every
other arttcl" IN Tie whole list is exactly
what the Tribune describes It in the
case of leather. The prices Of COM
moait!cs viii be increased just as far
es the rev rates Of duties permit.
There then results a scramble among
all these through whose hands these
commodities PASS, at any stage. to APP
qreIr:at5 tire benefit for themselves.