The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-08
qHs HowIINa CHORUS
cross the az can Agniu,t Some Features
nfthn Tariff RiIl.

Across the he.n Agnipst Some Features
orthv Tariff Bill.
Washington Post; The London Tele-
graph has Joined Its wcll-tralned voice
TO the bowling chorus OF American free
trade papers in denunclatlon Of that
admirable provision of the Dlngley tar
IN law which requires the payment of
duties on wearing apparel bought In
foreign countries in excess of 500 In
value. The Telegraph is surprised and
likewise grleved that the government
of this great nation should have enact
ed such a law. TO Illustrate how OPP
pressIvely, not to say cruelly,the thing
works, the Telegraph cites the tear-pro-
vokfng case of an American worth from
thirty 20 fifty millions who had TO pay
duty on S4,7OO worth OF dresses that hts
wife had purchased In Paris. The Teie-
graph could find no softer word than
"barbarlsm" wherewlth TO express its
sense Of the outrage. "a demoralizer OF
labor" "a paraiyizer OF natural devel-
opment of the land,'"a fetterer Of hui
man intercourse" are samples OF the
descriptive phrases employed by the
Telegraph on this trying occasion.
The Post has already had its say OF
the attacks on this feature OF the new
tariff in the columns OF American free
trade organs, but word in response TO
this London outburst seems to be In
order. II the provision that the Teie-
graph execrates deprived nny citizen
OF n privilege thaE he could exercise
without injury to other citizens, we
shouid deem Il needless and condemn
Il as an unjustifiable interference with
personal affairs. But no free trade" VIII
have the hardlhood TO contend that the
elimination of that feature from the
Dlngley act would not afford 20 u fav-
ored few, to those who are able to go
abroad and spend money for Foreign
products. advantages from which the
rest OF the people are dishnrrad. TIE
Post has never had any sympathy with
or tolerance for demagoglcai appeals
to the masses intended to SIT them
against the possessors Of large for
tunes. The Post regards the men ana
the organs engnged IN that crusade rs
enemies 10 social order, In this free
country every man has n chance TO rise,
and many OF the mlllionalres OF to-day
were poor boys few years ago. But
we do not believe that tariff should
be so constructed as to give wealth any
advantage over poverty. II our cit
izens desire TO wear clothing made In
Paris or London they can do so under
the Dingley act BY paying duties there
on; and 1t would be an unfair and In
furious discrimination to permit re-
turning travellers 90 bring In stores OF
apparel for themselves and their friends
exempt from the tax that 30 per cent OF
the people are compelled to puy-cotn-
PEELED to pay Il IN the enhanced cost OK
domestic products even Il they buy no
foreign goods. The only fair criticism OF
this provlse that we have seen is that
II permits any foreign goods to come In
free Of tax. To the extent OF 800 n
head the law Is class discrimination
and, therefore. vlolatiye OF n sound
principle. 1t is understood that Mfr.
Dlnuley will try to remove this objcc-
ton by offering an amendment to The
effect that all foreign goods brought In
by returning tourists shall pny the
same taxes that would have been as
sessed " they had been shipped as
freight That viii be close approach
10 absolute justice.