The independent., 1904-01-28


erty we own.
Coming back, however, to the single
tax for a moment, let me observe,
that the Henry George people, who
are advocating this and seeking to
make it the paramount issue in our
national politics as well as in our 10
cal politics, must first get their doc
trine adopted in some municipality IN
the Union, before they can think OF
having 1T adopted for supporting the
federal government. If, for instance,
the Hon. Tom L. Johnson could get
his city to adopt the single tax, not for
the support of his state of Ohio or or
the United States, but for his own
city of Cleveland, then he might think
of asking the people of his state of
Ohio to adopt it for the support OF
the state government. But it seems,
as a matter of fact, that Mr.. Johnson
has never succeeded in getting his
own city to adopt the single tax, and
therefore he is estopped from asking
his state, as such, to adopt 1t. ! will
not undertake to say why Mr.. john
son was so overwhelmingly defeated
for governor in the recent campaign,
but he and his friends, the single tax
ers, might very properly begin to
think about ruling their own city be-
fore they begin to think about ruling
the state of Ohio. And, by the way, |
wish that Mr.. Johnson would apply
his system of taxation to the city OF
Cleveland and make a success Of 1t,
in order that we might have the data,
upon which We can build an argu-
ment for the single tax. 1t is fact
that this tax is only theory. as yet,
and we would like to have some hard
facts to support it. 1t is splendid
theory and | would like to see it ap-
piled and made successful. But, un-
til can see it applied to some mu-
nicipality, town or township and
shown to be practicable, can never
have any faith in it for the support of
"a state government, much less for the
support of the national government
at Washington.
Coming back to the tariff, which is
to be the paramount Issue between the
two old parties this year, let us notice
that we are constantly complaining of
high tariffs" Now, what Is meant,
when we denounce high duties on for
eign merchandise imported? Do we
mean high duties for protection or
high duties for revenue? The recent
debate in congress, with reference to
reciprocal trade with Cuba, answers
this question. We have been COM
planning that the duty on sugar is too
high under the Dingley law enacted in
1894. The duty, in round numbers, is
about 1a cents a pound on raw sugar
and cents on refined sugar. These
| rates are very high, because the price
OF raw sugar in Europe Hamburg, the
great exporting port, is about III
| cents, and IL the duty is also " cents,
it is 100 per cent, which Is certainly a
very high rate. 1t is high enough to
| double the price of sugar to the con-
| sumer, and is therefore a tax of 100
| per cent on the sugar bowl or it's con-
tents; and takes as many dollars out
of the man who works for a dollar a
| day as out of the millionaire, If they
each eat the same amount Of sugar.
Ii the poor man has six children and
they all eat sugar. and the million
aire has no children, then the former
pays six times as much for the sup
port of the federal government at
Washington as the latter. This Is
the practical working of the tariff on
sugar insofar as it is tariff for rev.
enue only. II it Is a tariff for pro-
lection only then it not only raises
the price of foreign sugar, but the
price of all similar domestic sugar
We are sugar producing country al
we'll as sugar consuming country
We produce only small amount ol
sugar in comparison with the amount
We consume. | believe we produce
about one-tenth of what we consume
60 that we have to import a very
large amount OF sugar. The result Is
that If the duty Is very high and W,
import a very large amount. then TN
Gle sam gets very large amount oI
revenue from the importation Of su'
gar. And. besides. II the duty on for
eign sugar imported In so high as Il
double the price oi foreign sugar. ther
the price OF our domestic sugar o
like grade or hind Is also doubled
because our domestic producers whs
produce so little compared with th,