The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-05-23

at Porto Rico, to tax the natives when
claiming tnat they are under our flag.
Here are
SOME CONCLUSIONS
During the month Of January the
United States collected duty on 10000
barrels OF -four, total of $50.7OO, for
bread. from a people earning 5Oeents
in Mexican silver per day,
The entire book OF valuations and spe-
ciGc duty shows the same incongruities
and average uniformly excessive duty,
bearing most heavily upon the necess-
tiles OF life. Adding freights and the
profits OF the wholesaler and retailer,
one can readily see that people with
small earning power, not 10 exceed ~
per cent OF the American laborer and
mechanic, cannot purchase anything
that is imported except the cheapest
articles Of clothing, hardware, etc. IL
h the truth that 90 per cent ol the pop
ulation are practically prohibited from
eating anything hut rice, fish and vege-
tables. or wearing anything but the
cheapest OF white drills and cotton
prints.
On the articles enumerated, there is
an average percentage OF exaction
amounting TO 90 per cent, and these ar
ticles have not been selected with the
special object OF showing the highest,
| hut presenting tome of the monstrosi-
tiles of the tariff. The lowest OF the
ten articles shows 22H per cent; the
highest 225 pei cent-just 10 times as
much.
American trade is impossible. Amer
/ can manufactures are OF the high grade
AMI cannot compete with shoddy Euro
lean goods. Our cheap food products
are bearing taxes which prohibit any
but the well to-do people from using
! them. What is the Governments plalh
duty in the premisesP
In the same manner tarltt is laid on
all raw materials from the Philippines
out % which American grain sacks, wool
sacks. hop sacking, twine and cOrdage
are made The Oregonian says edi'
| toriallv:
"We call attention TO the exhaustive
and valuable setting forth OF trade con-
ditions at Manila given in our Phllp-
nine letter on the first page OF today's
issue IL makes q startling presenta-
tion Of the outrageous and lndelenslDle
burden the Government Is pressing
down upon this important dependency
The commercial interests OF the whole
United States should be aroused on this
matter aud force recognition and action
lru,n complainant and inattentive Ad-
ministration. Every business man IN
! Portland who has close relations win
persous OF political or commercial lhhn'
ence in the East should send To sucil
persons marked copies OF tins paper
I and follow them up with letters. The
matter at stake calls Tor the moe'
I
strenuous importantly.
A few days ago the same paper ssld
editorially:
"The basis Of successful trade between
distant communities Is mutual demandi
met by mutual supplies. Oar prospect
i've customer must produce what We
J want. and what he wants We must pro
duce or else 20 10 some troub.e 70 get
for him. You cant build up thrNlhl
trade on either Of these conditions alone
Yon must have both in conjunction
3 "Of these two principles oil TRACE then
D are two present applications ohe u.
D Il South America, the other hts ASIA.
5 the one case the conditions are larger
( unfayorable, in the other lhey are a
: favorable. lilo. =,
trans Pacific trade that these hhVoNan
south American conditions are reverse
In The case OF Asia. The great Aslail
Y staples, silk. tea, hemp, lute. ,.!i ma.lln. ,
e Ave.. spices' gums, We DO not produce
= ali Oh the other hand. the desires
! awakened Asia are for things Produs
in exportable surplus--wheat and ~he' .
e lour, lumber, iron and steel goods, tex
c he fabrics, implements and machinery
4 Here h the basis Of hmitless trade. IL