Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-02-19

government UetS Dut u small FefS
centage of the Tax on Food Prod
ucts-Facts Concerning 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
us "a free breakfast table," OF course
thing on the table Is taxed as long as
the tea or coffee was free. That was
considered the browning glory Of the
protectionists when pig Iron" Kelley
err meals were taxed Off the board the
breakfast should be free But now
comes Congressman McCleary, who is
one Of the most radical protectonists,
and instead OF standing pat proposing
to overcome the deficit which stand
patting has produced in the United
States treasury by imposing 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 IS per cent Of its value. and the
rug or carpet under the table is taxed
go 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
err Is only able to afford n cotton one,
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 As per cent, the glass and
china from 80 per cent upward.
Then when it comes to the eatables
even the fruit Is taXed-25 cents II
bushel on apples, and oranges ! 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 s
cents pound; the milk, If condensed.
cents a pound; the butter and cheese
cents pound. Oatmeal. l cent a
pound rice, 2 cents pound cornmeal,
20 cents Il bushel; buckwheat, Is cents,
and wheat flour, % 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 cents n doz
en-, and If you use potatoes the tax Is
% cents a bushel, and on cabbages 8
cents each is charged, and on honey &c
cents a gallon.
Mr.. Dingley and the other Republic
ans who made the tariff law must have
had great dislike for onions, for they
taxed that beautiful and nutritious veg
etable 10 cents q bushel, the tax evi-
IDENTITY being intended to be prohibitive
Although the coffee or tea comes in
free the sugar to put in it is taxed but
trifle less than 2 cents pound-1.05
to be eXact-and molasses cents n
gallon.
OF course the chair you sit on at the
breakfast table is taxed-if wooden
one, 3o per cent: if the seat is of cane
or rattan or willow. 40 per cent. In
fact. it is about impossible to find any
thing you eat or use that is not taxed
and the average tax Is nearly 80 per
CeuI OI ltS value.
If the Republican tariff tinkers
would cut off the tax on several Of the
articles used for breakfast and in place
of tax on them impose Il tax on cot,
fee, they would tighten the tax that
the American people pay and bring
more money to the government Golfers
That may seem paradoXical to some
people, but it must be remembered
that many Of the taxes above enumer-
ated are paid to the trusts that control
those products and the government on.
ly gets the tariff tax OH such as are i'm.
ported from abroad.
These protective tariff taxes allow
the trusts to add the percentage that
Is named in the tariff law to the price
they sell for, and thus the trusts col
lect the tax, including good profit.
That is why the Republican leaders in
congress are all protectionists. They
are in league with the trusts to plum.
der the people, and the trusts furnish
the money for campaign documents
lauding protection and other campaign
expenses in return for the protection
the Republican politicians have given
them through the tariff law. The tax
on coffee would therefore be cheaper
to the taxpayers, but to include that
tax without cutting down or abolishing
the tax on the other tariff taxed arti-
cles would be only piling up the taxes
on the people and still protecting the
trusts.
If there was space to go through the
day and enumerate all the tariff taxes
the American people pay, it would be
found that a trust or combine was in
terested in every product you eat or
wear, except few articles which are
included in the tariff schedules for
buncombe to make the farmers believe
they are also protected.