Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-10-19
BREAKFAST TABLE TAX
Trusts and Combines Collect
Greater Part of It.
COFFEE MAY ALSO GO ON LIST

vi ~ " VII Noou IIou.
u~cts-Fncts Concerning n Myth In
vented by PrOtectionists to Fool
the Voters.
The Republican party boasts, or used
to boast, Of taking off the tariff duty
on tea and coffee and thereby giving
"a free breakfast table" OF course
it does not matter that about every
thing on the table is taxed as long as
the tea or coffee was free. That was
considered the browning glory Of the
p~rotectioniStS when Pig Iron" Kelley
ruled the roos in congress, that if 9TH
er meals were taxed off the board the
breakfast should be free. But now
comes Congressman McCleary, who is
one of the most radical protectionists,
and instead of standing pat proposing
to overcome the deficit which stand
patting has produced in the United
States treasury by imposing a tariff
tax on coffee.
The trusts have taken care that
about everything on the breakfast table
but coffee or tea is taxed by the tariff,
including the table itself, the rate on
which is 35 per cen of it's value, and the
rug or carpet under the table is taxed
6 cents per square yard and In ad-
dition thereto 40 per cent ad valorem,"
equal to 40 per cent and over. Then on
the tablecloth and napkins, if the own
er is only able to afford a cotton n G
the tax is so per cent, and the rich man
who uses linen pays the same. The
knives and forks and spoons are taxed
not less than 40 per cent, the glass and
china from 50 per cent upward.
Then when it comes to the eatables
even the fruit is taXed-25 cents a
bushel on apples, and oranges l cent a
pound. If it is Friday and religious
scruples demand that you eat fish the
tax varies up to 40 per cent ad valorem.
Meats are taxed from 2 cents to 8
cents a pound; the milk. if condensed.
5 cents a pound; the butter and cheese
6 cents a pound. Oatmeal, l cent a
pound; rice, 2 cents a pound; cornmeal,
20 cents a bushel; buckwheat, Is cents,
and wheat flour, 25 per cent ad va
loren, are all thus included in the tariff
tax. Even the eggs are not forgotten,
for the tariff on them is 5 cents a doz-
en-, and if you use potatoes the tax is
rs cents a bushel, and on cabbages 8
cents each is charged. and on honey &C
cents a gallon.
MI. Dingley and the other Republic.
ans who made the tariff law must have
had a great dislike for onions. for they
taxed that healthful and nutritious veg;
etable 40 cents a bushel. the tax evi'
IDENTIFY being intended to be prohibitive
Although the coffee or tea comes IL
free the sugar to put in it is taxed but
a trit1e less than 2 cents a pound-1.95
to be exact-and molasses 6 cents I:
gallon.
OF course the chair you sit on at the
breakfast table is taxed-if a wooden
one, 35 per cent; if the seat is of cane
or rattan OF willow. 40 per cent. Ii
fact, it is about impossible to find any
thing you eat or use that is not taxed
and the average tax is nearly 80 pc
cent of it's value.
If the Republican tariff thinkers
would cut off the tax OH several of tn
articles used for breakfast and in plac,
Of a tax on them impose & tax on cot
fee, they would tighten the tax tina
the American people pay and hrin'
more money to the government Golfers
That may seem paradoXical to som
people. but it must be remembered
ated are paid to the trusts that contro
those products and the government on
" gets the tariff tax Oh such as are I'M
ported from abroad.
These protective tariff taxes ALLOW
the trusts to add the percentage tha
they sell for, and thus the trusts col
lect the tax, including a good profit
That is why the Republican leaders il
congress are all protectionists. The,
are in league With the trusts to plum
der the people, and the trusts furnish
the money for campaign document
lauding protection and other campaign
EXPENSES III teluIl lOI lllt plottNtlol
the Republican politicians have givcl
them through the tariff law. The ia.
on coffee would therefore he cheape
to the taxpayers, but to include tina
tax without cutting down or abolishin!
the tax on the other tariff art
cles would be only piling up the take
on the people and still protecting tn
trusts.
If there was space to go through tn
day and enumerate all the tariff take
the American people pay. 1t would b
found that Il trust or combine was IN
terested in every product you eat Q
wear. except a few articles which ar
included in the tariff schedules TO
buncombe to make the farmers believ
they are also protected.
Lodge Could Explain.