Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-12-14
WANT TARIFF CONTINUED.

Probably no measure, passet
by the last congress, was th'
subject of more unjust criticism
than the Porto Rican tariff bill
The GAZETTE was one Of tht
few papers in this state to up
hold this action of congress, fo1
while it saw the Objectionable
features it also. realized that il
its practical operation the meas,
Tire would be one Of the most
charitable and humane acts ot
any congress. The time was
not one for theorizing, but fo1
action. Revenue was necessary
to carry OH the government OF
the islands. There were three
ways to provide this revenue:
By direct appropriation from the
United States treasury, by in
ternal taxation, or under the pro-
visions of the Porto Rican tariff
bill, temporary measure. That
bill has been in operation over
six months. The San Juan
Daily News, native paper, has
this to say concerning it:
''We have lived now for six
months under the IS per cent
preferential tariff. The question
now is, is IL good OF bad? Has
it helped OF injured us? The
legislature will have these uues-
tons to decide.
eve now have the question
to deal with aside and apart from
politics. Its use as campaign
club is past and gone, The
burden Of deciding this very i'm
portant question is solely upon
che legislature. AS it DEGREES,
80 shall it be. If it desires to
abolish the tariff and operate the
island upon a free trade basis, it
can be so ordered.
Il the people of Porto Rico,
through the Legislators, desire to
continue the tariff, it can be
b done. A precedent has been
established which will permit
this GLASS of taxation. It has
been legally decreed that such
action is constitutional.
eff the tariff is abolished, it is
at once evident that more bur
dersome and higher rate of in
tarnal taxation must be imposed.
Where and upon what shall this
be levied is indeed a rerplexine
question.
"Aside from all the Difficult
ties that may or will arise from
the abolition of the tariff, let us
glance at the tariff itself, aud
see whas it has done. In the
last six months the IS per cent
tariff has afforded the island as
much, if not more, revenue than
the 100 per cent tariff. The
theory that the way to increase
revenue is by lowering the taxes,
IS proven to be true for Porto
Rico. This revenue will bel
constantly increasing as our
trade increases, as 1T is sure to
do. It has helped the consumer,
for it has lowered the taxes he
has to pay, not only on Ameri-
can goods, but upon all goods
that enter our markets in compe-
tislon with them, This results
in an increase Of inportations.
This helps The producer by con-
stantly providing him a means
to carry his goods to the great
American market, which is F..
always SO hungry for the pro-il
1uct this island has to dispose of.
Again, unless we have a traficI
both ways, the steamers must
make one trip without cargo,
md the freight is thereby
Ioub1ed. i
"a tariff helps us as borrow a
rs; it will give our securities a
taud i'll the United States,
which they cannot have without
permanent revenue like the
arif revenue. The argument Ia
0 often advanced in favor of a Q Q
arif tax as against other means .
f raising revenue, that it is {.
asily collected, is especially {.
'rclble In Porto Rico. VOL
7ould advise that the tariff is a
ecessary, and if it were not, .
would still be the most con :,
enient and logical means of er
Using our revenue. La the
riff stazd at IS per cent"