The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-05-18

How The Trusts Plunder The Home
Builder-Will The American People
Vote To Continue Taxing The Many
For The Benefit of The Few.
1t is proposed by the Democrats to abate
the tariff tax on building material for San
Francisco while that city is being rebuilt But
the Republican standpatters are secretly op-
posing it, as il will call attention to the iniqui-
ties of the present tariff law, which fosters
trusts and combines aud protects them in OBJ
tanning aud continuing present high prices.
The Democrats in Congress will unite in
voting for rebsting the duties paid on all build
ing material used in the stricken city aud
would welcome decrease of the tariff rates
paid by the whole country
The tariff tax on steel, glass. nails and lum-
Der is all protective Of the combines that aim
to control the price Of and avoid competition
The tariff on structural steel, nails. ETC., is
from 36 per cent. to 81 per cent. On common
window glass from 81 10 ll5 per cent. accord
ing to size, and on plate glass from 40 to 40
per cent On lumber planed on one side -
per cent. and up to so per cent. for flooring.
On paints from 4S to 20 per cent. and sn lin
seed oil 81 per cent.
There are other materials that are used in
building which pay an average percentage as
follows:
Brick and Tile.s2 Marbe...55
Cement ..............25 Wall Paper............25
Iron and Steel pipeS0 Stone ...................50
Lead.................s2 Tin Pates..............S3
Varnish ..............97
To refund these tariff taxes will be an enor-
nous saving to the home builders Of San Fran
cisco and will open the eyes of home builders
everywhere to the tax upon building homes.
The nd b,v- oh
control of the market for most of the materials
that enter into buildings that they have in
creased prices since the tariff bin WAS enacted
fully 40 per cent on the average, and there
is but little opportunity for competition to
keep them within reasonable bounds. The
materials that enter into a building are in re-
laiion to II, raw material, Just as much as pig
iron is to finished stove. The question to be
considered by voters in electing the next Con-
gress is whether they will vote to reduce the
tariff rates enough to induce foreign compe
tition, unless the trusts and combines lower
their prices to the level to prevent the foreign
goods from coming ia and uuAerselling them.
Ii the tariff on building materials aud other
necessities were necessary to protect Ameri-
can workmen, employed at good living wages,
the tariff iaxpayers-and that is everybody
would perhaps bear it patiently until the
plundering system could be revised for the
benefit of all alike. But the tariff increased
price paid by the American people should
only be enough more than the European
prices TO cover the difference between wages
there and here. The transportation charges
alone on such heavy materials are enough pro-
lection in themselves.
The high cost of building material has so
increased the cost of homes that rents have
advanced about % per cent. The farmer who
builds new house, or barn, is compelled to
pay about 40 per cent. more for the mate.
rials, so the increased money invested is u
clear less TO him and the interest on the same
is virtually yearly rent charge for living in
his own house.
There is no reason why this tariff tax on
building materials should be continued for the
government collection from THIS source is less
than , per cent. of the federal revenue. The
Siandpat argument that protection is needed
10 protect American labor is, according their
own theories, not applicable to building ma
terials which are raw material to be manufac
tured by the workmen into buildings. The
only reason, therefore, for this tariff protec-
tion is to enable the trusts TO extort enormous
profits from every family, either in the form
OF increased rent or as a tax upon homes.
The natural desire of everyone is to oYn
their own home, but the Republican plan of
protecting the trusts and combines decreases
the opportunity of a large increasing number
OF people from ever being home owners. The
home is the pedestal upon which Democratic
institution must rest and TO tax the home un-
necessarily is to clog the evolution of the
Commonwealth to its highest development.
So let us have free homes not only in San Fran
cisco, but everywhere and not tax the many
for the benefit of the few.