Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16

unworthy Of support.
The tariff policy of the United States
is selfish one. It's promoters are
men who believe in upbuilding their
own fortunes. They are not looking
after the interests of the farming and
producing class, although nearly sew
enty per cent of the export trade OF
the United States is the product Of
agriculture.
All tariff laws should be enacted on
a strictly revenue basis. Any other
theory of levying taxation is contrary
to the letter of the constitution and
to the spirit Of free institutions. Con
gress is and ought to be, without pow
er to tax you for my benefit.
Protection a Tribute Supports Wealth.
Protection is but tribute levied
upon thrift and industry to support
and maintain in wealth and idleness.
Why should pay a higher price in
order to enable another to make a
larger profit? might as well pay you
$1.20 for an article worth 81 90 that
gOu udy SohLlauc III pu5AhC5bs N plO-
tective tariff is tax upon consumption
and it is unworthy of any nation that
bases its right to legislate upon the
great truth that all men are equal.
The consumer is not benefited by q
protective tariff, he is injured by it.
Analyze for single moment the
effect of the protective tariff upon one
single industry. 1t Increases prices
rather than reduces. It restricts the
market and limits the field.
Tho Tariff Duty on Lumber.
I take that of lumber; this, an i'm
portant item that enters into the well
fare Of every home in this great lana.
Today we are confronted with the
proposition of the exhaustion of our
pineries. You have but to read the
report of the Secretary of Agriculture.
You have but to go to one of our lum.
Der yards and there ascertain the fact
that the great pine forests Of our
country are almost exhausted. What
is the effect of having a duty upon
lumber and who does 1t benefit? If
the farmer Of Iowa was producing
lumber, the same as corn, and the
hcme demand was as great as for
corn, grant you that law restricting
the importation of lumber would be
of some assistance, for It would per-
NIT you to monopolize the home mar
ket and thereby make the price for
your product
The people Of the state Of Iowa
would be compelled as a matter Of
course, to purchase of you, and there
by controlling the supply and the out.
put, you would profit thereby. This
is the very use of protection to assist
the manufacturer by compelling those
within the prescribed territory to pur-
chase of him alone.
1t never has been denied that the
consumer pays the tax. It can not be
denied. When the fire occurred in
Maine. years ago. members of con-
gress from that state were instrument
tai in introducing bill to have the
lumber relieved of this burden. II 1t
was tax paid by the importer why
the necessity of relieving the article
Of the duty? The original thought
and idea Of tariff policy, by its pro.
motors, was that of raising revenue
for governmental purposes and Incl
dentally to place the American manu-
facturer in position where he could
compete with the so-called cheaper
labor of his foreign neighbor; but the
idea and thought of eliminating COM
petition and placing the consumer at
the mercy Of the tariff beneficiary
never entered the minds of our fathers.
Regard was had for the law Of supply
and demand, and the first tariff acts
were supposed to be short lived. But,
as time advanced, and selfishness and
greed became political asset Of al
great party, and opportunity presented
itself to command the aid of corpora
tions and trusts, the protective party
of today, marked under the name Re-
became fact. The teach.
ing of Hamilton and Clay was forgot
ten, and the Morrill, tariff act was the |