The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-15
Tariffs and the Consumer.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
An afternoon paper in this city makes
the following statement: SIN every tariff
scheme the consumer must pay the tax"
This has been the contention of our free
trade friends from the very beginning.
President Cleveland had hardly taken his
first lesson in political economy from John
G.. Carlisle before he declared that 1.-The
precise amount of the duty is added to the
price of the article, and the consumer
always pays it," Now this statement, which
appeared in Mr.. Cleveland's celebrated
message in 1887, was not true at that time,
is not true now and never was true. 1t
has been proven false, by actual experience,
ever since tariff laws were enacted. But
even experience will not settle the matter
with a tariff reformer. In spite of expert
ence and in spite of logic he continues to
shout, 'The tariff is a tax and the con-
sumner pays It," A parrot can do as much
Now, l assert that the precise duty is
never paid by the consumer, except on
articles that are not produced in this coun-
try. And, strange TO say, those are the
very articles that our tariff reformers
would tax" So it comes to pass that
Democratic organs clamor for a tariff on
cohee and tea and like articles that can be
had in foreign countries only. The Repub-
ncan policy Is TO admit such products free
of duty, and make the levy on those arti-
cles the like OF which are freely produced
in this country, n with which we come
In active competition with foreign manu-
facturers. The reason is so obvious that
even a 'reformer" ought to be able 10 see
it. And right here is where the Republican
policy of protection comes in. The idea
Is TO levy all duties on articles with which
| We compete and by that means protect our
| own producers The Democratic theory is
XQnIl Tho EaNarCA n 3 - -.
party as we'll as it's organs, declare. with
one accord. that protection is robbery"
ana or course you cannot expect a Demo-
crat 10 become n rObber! Heaven fOrhidi
What he wants to do is to reduce the tariff
on articles with which we come in compe-
tition and add TO il on tea and coffee and
pepper and spices and like articles that we
cannot raise in this country. This method
may be sufficient TO satisfy a Democratic
conscience" but If so L think il should be
stimulated and enlightened by Mr. Rrvan
ton TO the conscience business. What
then do our Democratic friends want?
Why, they say they want "a tariff suffi-
cient TO meet the expense of the govern
ment, economically administered" VIII
liam Mckinley did not want any morel
The income from the tariff Mt this time
is just about the amount REQUIRED 10 meet
the necessary expenses. Why. then. do orr
tariff reIormers desire a change? If any
candid Democrat Will investigate that
question he will know more about the tarinf
question than he ever dreamed of before
Allow me TO assist in the Investigation.
We will assume that the present levy is 30
per cent-it may be a little more or less
and that IL produces the required amount
of revenue. Now, how can our reformers
get the necessary income il they reduce
the levy TO % per cent? Simply by doub-
ling the amount OF imDortations and i'm no
other way. Consider what the effect of
this policy would be. The increase OF i'm
portatiOn would necessarily be from goods
made by foreign workmen and every SoIIar
paid to those English, French and German
workingmen Is just so much taken aUav
from our own mechanics. The outDut from
our factories would be decreased and vases
now paid for the making OF the goods
would be entirely cut of. BE not deceived
You cannot eat your cake and have II t"
You cannot buy your goods in England and
pay our own workmen for their making
The final results OF this Democratic Dolicv
would be that tens OF thousands OF Amer
lean workingmen would be thrown ont OF
employment and whiting on dry goods
boxes would become one of our chief in
dustries. JOHN Il. GLOVER.
| indianapolis. Jan. L.