Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-12
DinG,sy Tnr,T rhat p,nchos Farmers,

A Dinghy Tariff That Pinches Farmers.
A local concern that deals in fer
filters received, under date Of July
3Oth, the following letter from tho Key
stone Plaater Go. of Chester. Ia. :
Owing TO the present Tariff hill i'm
posing a duty on rock plaster, We have
been compelled to advance prices
tchange to take effect A ugust LIST next.
On and after that dato We will have to
charge you an advance over present
prices of 10 cents per barrel on cnlcined
plaster Irregular 250's) 70 cents per ton
on cHlcined plaster in retuTnnhle bBgs,
ami 30 cents per ton on land plaster.
IS we strained every effort to dofeat
th. schedule, VIC feel that you should
not ceusuFo liz for Rbovn change in
prices, as at the prices at which plaster
has heen selling it iH imperative that
an advance ahuul ha made equal in
amount 10 the duty imposed on the rocE.
Land plaatHr is used hy farmers in
considerable quantities as fertilizer,
and 10 mix with Paris green for the
determination of potato bugs II will
bs seen from the above letter that each
ton used by tho farmers Of this country
will cast them at least fifty cents
more under the Dlngley tariff than
it did under the tariff established by
the Wilson bill.
AH tho high duty will tend TO exclude
importations, and the home manuiact,
urers frankly declare that they will add
the tariff duty TO the recent price of the
commodity, it will be- readily seen that
while the new tariff on plaster directly
taxes tho fnrmer it will not put dollar
into the National Treasury.
This is only one of many instunces
that 20 to prove how completely the
Dingley Tariff bill will fail as pro.
| Queer Of revenue. 1t also proves con.
cluaively how trio obnoxious enactment
will impose direct and excessive taxes
upon the consumer.
In the course Of his address on Civil
Service Reform" buforo the AssoGia.
ton for the Advancement of Science at
Detroit, Mich, last Tuesday, Prof
William ii. Hale OF brooklyn said :
" believe that this country is on the
verge Of vast extension Of municipal
ownership and control of systems 10
supply light, heat, TRANSPORTATION, &c.
Perhaps there is danger of too sudden
and explosive a movement in this
direction Work Of this kind requires
skill, integrity, industry, and expert,
ence, which can only lie secured by a
careful selection OF men Tor merit and
fitness and tho best men cannot be
obtained without somewhat stable
tenure of office. To leave these difficult
and important public works az spells tc
politicians would seriously impair their
efficiency, ami would also confer upon
party leaders dangerous power Of ire
spnnsihla and unlnnited patronage.
lha system of reformed civil service
which AIMS 10 secure, and 10 a large
extent succeeds in securing, tho hrs
men for tho performance Ut publ,
duties affords the only economic anr
therefore tho only practicable solution
Of the problem Of governmental admin
istration Of those natural monopoliei
for tho public good.
Up TO daio tho showing of tho gov
ernmcnt under the Dingloy tariff is al
follows; Receipts, So, SIS, dSS; eSpendi
lures, $40, GlO, 600; deficit, 81, 2!l, 3aa
Evidently the Dingloy tariff is not on
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