The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-06-26
A Tariff Catchism.

The following questions and answers were
found among the papers of the late George
Otis, of Roselle, n. j.:
Q. What is the meaning of the word tariff?
A. tits so called because hundreds of years
ago sea pirates at Tariffa, Spain, forced every
passing vessel to pay for the privilege of going
into and from the Mediterranean Sea.
q. What is the meaning now?
A. A certain sum forced from the people
by land pirates.
Q. VIII say taken by forced?
A. Because the Republican Congress says
to the people: ''Stand and deliver -
Q. Stand and deliver to whom?
A. TO certain favored manufacturing inter
estS.
q. Where i'll the constitution is Congress
empowed to pass law to compel the few to
support the many, the poor to contribute to
the rich ?
a. In no part of It,
Q. Then where did it find the power?
a. In the Bible.
Q. Give the book, chapter and verse.
A. Matthew, 18th chapter, 18th verse {:
.sFor whatsoever hath, to him shall be given,
and he shall have more abundance; but who
soever hath not from him shall be taken even
that which he hath.
O. Is such a law republican i'll the sense OF
being democratic-a government III which
the people rule?
A. No. 1t is aristOcratic.
Q. What do you mean by aristocratlc?
A. A government wherein a few rob the
many; where the many work to help support
the privileged few.
O.. Explain how the tariff law establishes
an aristocracy in a democratic government,
A. Congress says to the poor, because tins
or that man is rich and produces iron or cot
ton or wooden goods, you shall pay him so
much money for 50 many pounds or yaruS, OF
90 naked and work without tools.
O. What reason does Congress give for such
IL tvrannical law?
A. Congress saws the law is dltferentla-
ton of industrial function, which means that
industry is the function of the poor ami the
difference goes to the rich.
q. Is that the only reason Congress gives !
A. No. II says the tariff is intended to
foster infant industries at home.
Q. Are the iron, cotton and wool industries
infants?
4. No: they are IL hundred years old.
O. What date has Congress fixed for these
industries to become of age?
A. When Gabriel blows his horn. One
Congressman did move to fix a later date, but
when reminded that asbestos was not pro-
tccted he withdrew his motion.
Q. What is the meaning of II protective
tariff
\. Protection of the rich from getting poor
and of the poor from getting rich.
Q. What is the difference between the ten ,
ants in ireland and the farmers IN America ?
A. None. In both cases the taN-gatherer
lives in the East and the sheriff is after both.
Q. Is there any other similarity between
the Irish tenants and the American farmers !;
A. Yes the tenats are too poor to stay ami
the farmers too poor to leave.
g. Is that the only benefit Republican pro
lection coniers upon the poor?
A. No. 1t improves their morals, keeps
them from having useless desires.
Q. How does protection produce such re
suits?
A. The poor have to work 50 hard to sup
port the rich they have no time for mischief.
Having no surplus money with which t"
travel they see nothing new and their desires
are kept dormant. That brings content