The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-10-25

Eultcr 1n0ex-hepuOncan- Ino III
dustrisl supremacy of the United
States is the most marvellous fact of
this progressive sgel Her wonderful
progress in manufactures and mining,
her great accumulation of wealth. her
rapid development of the resources of
her unrivaled territory, her energetic
utilization of this forces of natule with
in the last half century of her history
have sstounded the civilized world.
Even some of our own timid citizens are
appalled, at the achievements that have
crowned our efforts and appear to want
to put brake on the wheel of Ameri-
can progress
There must be a reason for this rapid
advancement in material aggrandize-
ment. Wiser men than the writer at
tribute it to the wonderful develop
ment of our manufactures and agri-
culture. and aver that the most potent
factor in that development has been
and is the protective tariff. Others.
perhaps equally wise, assert that If 1t
were not for the protective tariff we
would have made still more rapid
progress. We shall not stop to discuss
the merits of the tariff question in the
abstract. but as to whether it is re-
sponsible for the high prices of COM
modities 80 much complained about;
wherein the tariff is a robbery; how
reciprocity in competing articles would
be of advantage to us. and why we
have to pay higher price, relatively,
for articles on the free list than for
articles on the dutiable list
Sixty-six cents will pay the duty on
the wool in sn ordinary suit of clothes
the wholesale price of which Is 81. 90.
but for which have to pay si5. 90.
Two dollars and quarter will pay the
duty on the wool required in the best
suit of clothes in the market. yet l
would have to pay from 5000 TO
$75 90 for such a suit. Who Is the
robert Twenty-Five cents pays the
duty on q bushel of potatoes The
farmers are selling their potatoes at 35
cents a bushel, and yet have TO pay
30 cents a peck On one of our best
business streets recently l saw, at
three different places within dis
tance of four blocks, potatoes, appar-
emily the same variety, marked, re-
spectiyely. 40, 80 and 90 cents peck.
Who are the robbers, and what hiss the
tariff to do with these prices7 The
tariff on fresh beef is two cents q
pound The so-cslled Chicago 'beei
trust pays the producers of cattle
from 81 80 to $3.50 per 100 pounds
They kill, dress and ship in refriger'
ator cars 500 miles. and sell in thil
lefty, even during the strike. at an av
erage of s. 10 per 100 pounds ton;
of beef here at from Sc. 90 to 800 pei
100 pounds, and yet if l want steal
that is at all masticable 1 have to pay
from Is to % cents pound for 1t
The duty on hams and bacon is 8 cent
a pound The Wholesale price does no
exceed IL cents pound, and yet
have TO pay 90 and % cents a pound
for these articles The duty on hide
is IS per cent ad valorem- The dutl
cost per pair of shoes is from cent
to 10 cents per pair. The wnolessl'
price for mems calf shoes is Sl.75 pc
pair, and yet have to pay from 50. 81
to s. 90 per pair. Who is the robber
The duty on fresh fish is one-fourtl
cent a pound and on smoked fish
cent pound. Is that the reason VIII.
a pound for fshl
Tea is on the free list. The aversg
import price is 14.5 cents per pound
but cannot get tea that is fit o
drink for less than 50 cents pound
and if 1 want really good tea hsv
to pay 81. % per pound for it. Coffe
is ON the free list. The average i'm
lport price is g.. cents per pound. an
kyet cannot get pound of coffee tia
is fit to drink for less than 80 cents
and for superior coffee l have to pa
45 cents. Why am 1 robbed more ol
the free list than ON the dutiable list.
A merchant tailor IN this city mad
suit of clothes for United State
Senator for $50. A protege OF ths
!, Senator wanted a suit from the sam
piece of cloth The tailor wanted I
charge him $40 for it. Had the TART
anything to do with that difference i
pricef One merchant charged me
cents for an article of food; anothe
merchant few blocks away charge
me 10 cents for the same article Ha
the tariff anything to do with sue
pIactices1 Does not the press and th
demsgogues who howl so much abou
tariff robbery encourage dishonest mer
chants in their robberyG
Is the reciprocity that is now de
msnded by some of our people the sam
reciprocity that Grover Cleveland sal
was a fraud and a humbugT" ]
RECIPROCITY would be beneficial to on
manufacturers, why would not FIRE
, trade be better9 The Wilson Gorma
| bill gave us free wool. and yet th
State that now most strenuOuslv de
, mands reciprocity had to close dow
=. 10 per cent of her wooden mills an
run the remainder on half time durin
the life of that bill. Would she far
, any better under reciprocity?
We entered into reciprocal relation
3 with Cuba because it was right an
: proper that we should help the youp
, republic for which we stood sponso
to get upon her feet, but while impor