The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-01-03
FACTS AND FIGURES As TO TARIFF
LEGISLATION.


sonal liberty OF a free people the most
important question for them Is that Of
taxation. Through thousands OF years
the people have been the pack-horses,
the burden bearers. Under all forms Of
government they have been prosecuted.
wronged, plucked, over-taxed. All his
tory terms with such examples. Taxes
are simply to carry on civil government
But that government should be strictly
economic. Not an unnecessary dollar
should be taken from the people.
federal supreme court some years ago.
when there w;-s but one democrat on
the bench. Mr.. Justice Field, declared
that taxation levied for any other pur-
pose than for revenue to maintain the
government, was robbery" A dollar
taken from a toiler in taxes, or indeed
from any one, Is a dollar gone forever
vt comes not back again. To levy un-
Just. unequal. oppressive taxes in n sup
pe4ed, alleged free government is ras-
caIly and detestable.
4 protective tariff is the consumma-
ton of wrong doing and oppression for
il robs the poor to enrich the money
bags crowd. 1t plucks the poor to pile
up higher the ingots of monopoly and
injustice. 1t robs to make the poor
poorer and the rich richer. The rich
man cannot feel the weight of taxes
however high. He pays them. if he does
pay. out of his large surplus. But the
poor man must delve and sweat and
n 70
money with which to settle his taxes
If those taxes are excessive. unequal.
wasteful then they are a curse and
stencil and a wrong.
This country is now cursed-afiicted
with high tariff more unequal and in
famous than any known to the best in
formed of the American people. If the
whole people could know and under
stand just what outrages were visited
upon them in the rascally. accursed re-
publican robber tariff tax, they would
unite for resistance and would drive
from the high offices of this country
every one of the robbers and oppressors.
But unfortunately the people pay the
heavy taxes to the United States gov
just what they were indeed paying
under that remorseless "robber." as
they can when they settle with the
sheriff and take his receipt for taxes.
they would swear vengeance against
every rascal who robs them and depres-
ses them of their means of living. When
you buy an article of merchandise the
Dl,.,h DC thnN f1, onI
dollars worth from $1.25 to 81 for it.
Something of this injustice and rob
berry will be shown before we get
through with taxation under a tariff for
protection for rich people and monopo-
lies
This system of robbery" began ear
Iy in the history Of our government. In
thirty years or so after it started the
inequality of class legislation had be-
gun to operate with diabolic insistency
and inequality. This will be setforth
hereafter. Today, we can call atten-
tion to a few points concerning tariff
legislation by the republican party. 1t
was in 1S57-four years before the great
war-when this party began to tackle
the tariff. 1t began as almost free
trade party for it reduced the Walker
democratic tariff of 1916. which was so
low-Soyne IS per cent average, We
think it.was-that it was considered by
the Wings as a ''free-trade' arrange
nent. 1t soon began to change its
thistle. When the great war came II
shipped around and began to levy high
alxes under the tariff with a free and
Id hand. In 1870. the republicans had
race enough and sense enough to re-
iuce this great war tariff 10 per cent.
was not enough but much better
reduction.
UNFORTUNATELY the republicans
81 got a taste of taxation they could
hot forget. They soon went back and
the war tariff ran and crushed both
parties to the late war. The people felt
the curse then and cried out for relief.
A commission to investigate was ap-
pointed by the congress. The report
was made in certain cherished northern
interests Things went from bad to
verse. In 1876, Mr.. Tilden made his
SPLENDID and vigorous fight for tax
Areduction and low tariff. He was
tobbed of his place by an infamous
conspiracy. Manufacturers obtained
gher taxation for their benefit An
lie writer in the New York Forum, an
ucated German expert, Mr.. Jacob
loenhof. who has been in the United
ates since 1861. discusses the history
a results of tariff legislation in the
~ and conclusiveness. Referring TO
be disappointing course Of the republi-
IN party in the congress, he writes
Fhe people could not be hoodwinked
las easily as the reformers from within
Mad imagined. In 1884 a democratic
S,resident was elected on a determined
riff reform platform Mr.. Cleveland's
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