The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-02
THE TARIFF.
D. Gold Explains What the Protective Tariff
is and Bow it Operates.

1At t014-A Il a N4NdI v lAS 44tSI4ou
with US, because il is a source Of revenue
for the support Of the government, and
OF wealth to manufacturers. Instead of
a direct tax levied Upon and paid by the
people for the supper of the govern
ment, this government resorts 10 a
tariff in order to raise money for this
purpose. Every article that is brought
into this government, that is brought
here from foreign countries. must pay a
toll or tax at our ports, and this all
passes into the public treasury.
Suppose one of our merchants should
buy hats from England. he must pay a
tax or inpost on each hat he thus buys.
Now, of course, he will add this tax on
the hat when he goes to sell it, and the
purchaser Of the hat pays for it.
Internal revenue-the tax On tobacco,
Whlskics, etc, is another source Of
revenue for raising money for govern
mental expenses.
But now how about a protective tariff?
What is that? And whom does it pro-
tect? \ protective tariff is a tax i'm
posed on foreign goods for the benefit
or protectiaon of home manufacturers.
1t began years ago when there We're not
many factories in this country The
policy Of the government was to encOur-
age what was then called the infant in
dustries. 1t was held that they were
weak and just starting up, or just born
and weak like infants and needed some
good nursing. How was this done? 1t
was done by putting so high a tax on
foreign goods, and called a high tariff,
that foreigners could not sell their goods
here. Why? We will suppose that a
tax Of two dollars was put on a foreign
hat by our government. This would
enable a hat manufacturer of this cOun-
try to sell his hats cheaper than the for
cigncr could sell his hat here after pay
ing two dollars tax, so that kept the
foreign hat out of this country, and the
American manufactured sells his hat at
a higher price than he would if he had
foreign competition, for when he can he
will raise his prices. He Will sell 1t SO
as to pocket that two dollars. How much
o, it goes to the government? Not a
cent, but the manufacturer gets 1t all,
and the government must put a tax on
some American goods to raise revenue.
They tax WHISTLES, brandies, tobacco and
such goods.
Now you can see that the consumers
arc burdened. Those that buy goods must
| n y lIlc IItoG IISh u ittS
fer them, and not a cent of it goes to
the government. The manufacturers are
enriched. The people at large, the con
sumers, are poor. Great combinations of
wealth are formed. Millions of dollars
are made by the producers or manufac-
turers. They combine and make ma
chincry do the labor. Where a hundred
years ago a hundred men were employed
to labor, now ten men will run the ma
chinery and do the labor. Then in great
trusts expenses are cut down by making
machinery do nearly all the work, and
many men are idle, SO that our nation is
fast becoming ruled by a few very rich
men, and that will make the people
slaves.
1t is said that just before Abraham
Lincoln was killed he appeared sad, and
some one said to him: why are you SC
sad? You have been successful in the
war, and the Union is restored. You ought
to be joyful" He replied: 1.-The people
nave got a taste Of the power Of money
Army contractors are rich. They know
what power is. This love Of money will in
| crease. A few will become exceedingly
| wealthy, and the many Will become poor
| and we will have slavery in another
form. We have destroyed African slav-
cry, but soon we Will nave a great many
white people enslaved, and this nm
government will be corrupted and des-
troyed."
Is there manliness, virtue, love of free
dom, hatred Of corruption, enough ye
remaining in this country to throw OF
these shackles so rapidly coiling them
selves around this body polite?
Is there yet enough hatred of ill-gottel
=. -.-L f Io-a nf mon cti1l no
naming to dethrone this awful scourg'
Of the worship of money?
P. D. GOLD.