The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-19

saon II ~ foiloWa.
The mother OF all srusss - the customs
tariff bin. The existing btll and the pre-
eciinx ones have been the occasion for the
formation OF all the large trusts. with
very few exceptions. fnasmuch ~ they
provide for an inersiinate protection To all
the interests os tho country, sugar-rc1rs-
Ing excepted. Economic advantages In
ctdcnt to the consolidation OF largo inter-
ests In the same line OF business are .
great Incentive to their formation. but
these bear very insignificant proportion
10 the advantages granted In the way of
protection under the customs tarin.
There probably II not an indhstry that
requires a protectien Of more than 10 per
cent. al valprem and II In to obtain what
Is provided over such percentage In the
tariff that leads to the formation Of what
are commonly spoken Of as ''trusts.- with
a protection TO an Industry not exceeding
10 per cent. all menace to the community
OF trusts would ccase. This III per cent.
would represent the difference In cost Of
production and likewise act as . protcc-
tion against surplus products Of sorcian
countries being dumped In our local mar
kets, thereby interfering with tho regular
and economic working Of our industries.
Any advantages that might then accrue
to such combinations they would he fully
entitled to, and the public would not -
damaged thereby, ~ any expanxon Of
price would be met by foreign competition
and relief.
have said that sugar was an exception.
The rate Of protection on sugar II m
eighth Of cent q pound. which In about
~ per cent. nd valorem, and IL not the
differences in the cost OF refining between
this and foreign countries. The least II
should have II per cent. or, In specific
figures. Ia cents per pound. The sugar
refining industry OF this country, no mat
ter what form It's organization. In entitled
10 adequate protection II any industry II.
There are at least 10000 people dependent
upon IL. What II pays or has paid 10 fss
stockholders ia the past represents moth
ing more than fair return on the capital
invested. considering the extent OF tho
business.
The United States tariff hiil. In assess-
Ing about $40 per ton duty on imported
sugar, pays into the pockets OF = few
T>cuisianans on their annual crop cf 10000
tons 80 op0. 900. to the Hawaiian Islanders.
probably represented by 10 foreigners. on
their annual crop Of $4,000 tons 90. .0e00o0;
say 10000 tons produced elsewhere In fhN
United States. sA0n00 Here you havs
ses on. 90 extracted from the people of the
United States for the sake OF getting thr
revenue which $40 per ton on foreign sugar
provides. This is merely illustrative OF the
whole tariff. every IIns Of II. and Its effect
upon the people. In fact, the farfR flIl
clutches the people by the threat and then
the governors and the attorneys general
Of the Southern states take action. not
against the cause. but against the ma
chinery which the people employ 70 rffie
the ptstiic's pockets.
There appears 10 he In the public mind
a d.ss.nesion between robbery by an In
d.vtauai and that ny = corporation. What
n commentab!e In an individual appears
70 be dishonest in a corporation. ! MAIN
tain tina, IL In immaisrtal TO the psisaic In
what form business 10 done, whether by
an Individual Arm. a corporation or
even the trust. These are merely FERNS af
conducting business. or. In other words.
machinery fer tae operation OF business.
II is the duty Of the government TO ses
that under the tariff laws they enact this
machinery cannot in It's action result 70
the detrisasnt or imroyerishment OF tho
publse.
1t would have been very easy ana proper
fof the government "a have pat corre-
spending Internal revenue tar on sugar
simultaneously with the customs duty.
and have these 81. .a6e which nov %
into the pockets Of few individuals 70
into the treasury fer the beusht cs the
whCie people II she expenses os tie gov
eminent needed 20 be provi1sd for and pro-
secs.on 10 American industries waa de-.
sired. the imposition os 70 per cent. "a
vaIoren On all manufactured products
weuid have settled fhs matter. There in
every resson why. II revenue il desired
sbat with duty on raw materials at for.
s.gm prcaEsct. corresponding Internal rev.
srsue sfsoaI5 he levied ON xueh products
and she prese1si0n Of manufacturers
thereof, Hassed 10 an additional 70 per
cent
I repeat that ali this agitation against
trusts II against merely the business ma
chsrery employed % take from the puh,se
what the government In its tariff LAWS
saYs IL - prorer and suitable they shoa,d
hsve II So the government. through 10
tariff iaws. whsca plumbers The pecpte. and
the trusts. ase.. are snsrsiy the machinery
FOR doang II.
Ts~ ssssennenss made besere the com
nissees In eoExres~ and the speeches
arsisss the sugar refining company are
absolutely devoid Of trush-asisrly TN
wnvsty Of credit Tne intention ~ con-
GreAn, howeyer. 10 enact something into
Law oenfrsry 20 what sns sugar res3niag
tnaugsry pfopersy raanifed resulted. frye~
sgrcff~e ~ sbe great injury and snjasftcs
done. In the passage cf the sxisstng sugar
eSfssdase
whssasr the saxas refining company has
Hes0 &AuzHf frFts 80. sSsr e1usx,askxftre