Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-01-16
The Real Mother of Trusts.

Even well informed republicans are
beginning to admit that the tariff is the
mother of trusts. This conclusion
comes from surface reasoning, and
from the inability of specialists to SEE
outside of their specially. There is the
free trader; he is specialist There is
the protectionist; he also is specialist
The real mother of trusts is indirect
taxation. When tariff reformer'' OF
free trader says that "the tariff is the
mother of trusts" what does b mean
He means a protective tariff. He will tel
you that tariff for revenue only is moi
protective tariff. But it is easy to sec
that tariff for revenue only may also
be a protective tariff on many things
And where it is protective it invites and
assures the existence of trust A
tariff for revenue only means tariff
enough to support the government. A
tariff meant just TO make an article
produced in foreign country anG
shipped to this country, equal in cost
including shipment, the cost of produc
ing the same article here, is not protec
tive. But that sort of tariff would no
be enough to support the government
1t ought to be, perhaps, but it is not, a,
experience has shown. Hence wher
the government is supported by u tariff
the tariff will necessarily be more o.
less protective;-th is it will make j
possible for manufacturers OF som,
things to sell them in this countr,
cheaper than foreign manufacturers o
the same articles can put them dowI
here, ana pay the tariff.
The real mother of trusts, therefore
is the system of indirect taxation. 1t il
legacy given by the middle ages t.
the present generation. 1t has no more
appropriateness in this day than thu
inquisition, would have in present da.
! jurisprudence, or the mailed knight il
war as now waged. After a while tn,
craftsmanship which directs the affair."
of the nation will become as enlight
ened as that which directs the affairs o
a town or city, and will in like manner
estimate at the beginning of the yea
j
what is needed for expenses, and rais
the sum by direct taxation, which j
the only business way. Indirect taxa
ton does not mean definite levy. M
man knows or can know in advanc,
what sum it will produce. 1t may re
suit in surplus, and it may result in ;
deficiency. If it produces too little
bonds must be issued; if too much
there is a surplus to squabble over as
corruption and jobbery fund.
Go about and ask your neighbor
how much taxes they pay to supper
the general government. Not one cal
tell you. 1t is impossible to find out
| We know that the expenses of the pres
ent administration are about one billion
two hundred thousand dollars per year
| We have vague idea that the govern
ment has some invisible and super
natural means of raising this immens'
sum, which amounts to more than sew
enteen dollars per year for each man
! tax gatherer comes around to demand
! it of us. We do not know that we ar
paying it every time we buy any thing
Hence it is as effective and insidiou
an agent of corruption as ingenuit.
coupled with dishonesty could devise
When we are asked to pay our compar
atively small taxes for the support 0
the state, county, and town or city, w
think it terrible thing. Yet, if al
these were added up, they would b
small compared with this insidious ant
deceptive indirect tax which we do no
know we are paying, and whic
amounts to twelve hundred million dol
lars per year, large proportion o
which, doubtless, is practically stolel
through dishonest contracts and job
berry. 1t is the most unjust form of ia,
possible, for it is not a tax upon prop
erty, but upon consumption, and so tn
poor pay ninety per cent. of it. w
will not have a government based upol
modern ideas until we have it support
ed by direct taxation.