Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-02-15
And TRUST TAX
What the Government and
Monopolies Collect.
ENORMOUS COST TO THE PEOPLE

ncpuDllcnn politicians Refuse to Re-
Wise the Tariff Because They Par
ttciDatc In the Plumber Voters
Have the Remedy In Their Own
Hands, If They Will Use 1t,
1here is Il set phrase used by the
Republicans that the tariff must be
revised by it's friends" Now. the
friends of the tariff do not want re-
vision. Therefore how can the tariff be
revised by it's friends? Senator Gal
linger of New Hampshire, a Republic
an leader, said q few days ago, 81 do
not propose to be q partner to opening
the Pandora box that attempts at tar
III revision would unquestionably pre-
cipitate." The evils that are feared if
the tariff box is opened are, no doubt,
most serious when viewed from the
standpoint Of Republican politicians.
They are silent partners with the
trusts thai the tariff fosters in taxing
the people and would have a sorry time
in running their political machines
without the contributions from the pro-
tected few, mainly trust magnates.
But side by side with the evils that
would arise to the few from opening
the tariff box there would also be vast
advantages to the many, depending in
its volume upon the thoroughness with
which the revision Of the tariff is made.
If the tariff rate on trust products
was reduced to the point where it
would produce revenue to the govern
ment instead of, as now, producing
revenue for the trusts also there would
be a large saving to every family in
the cost Of living. The government
now collects on the average S 3.49 each
year from every man, woman and
child for tariff tax, SO that IN average
family of five persons pays $17.45.
But that Is only a small part Of the
tax that is imposed by the tariff, for
the trusts and others protected are en-
abled to add to the price they charge
for their products more than a reason
able profit would allow, so that it is
estimated that when the government
collects $3.49 per capita Of tariff tax
the trusts and other tariff benefciaries
collect not less than $3.50 per capita
and probably much above that large
amount in the increased prices that the
tariff protects them in charging.
So the tariff bill which the American
people pay each year is: To the gov
eminent, $2s0,OOO,000 or S3.49 per cap
tia; to the trusts, $1,000, 900, 600, or
$3.50 per capita; total, $1,2S0,O0 10000,
or $3.50 per capita.
The annual tariff tax, therefore, to
each average family of five persons is
not less than $685..
How much the Republican politicians
get of the tariff tax collected by the
trusts is not possible to arrive at, for
these contributions are made secretly
and, as the late exposures in the life
insurance scandals show, are charged
up as illegal expenses" That millions
have been paid to Republican cam
paign managers by corporations and
individuals, nearly all Of whom are
directly or indirectly interested III the
trusts, and therefore in maintaining
the tariff tax intact, is not denied by
those like Mr.. Cortelyou, the chairman
Of the national Republican committee,
and Mr.. Babcock, the chairman Of the
Republican congressional committee.
The people pay the tariff tax, and the
trusts controlled Republican leaders
refuse to revise the tariff, which fur
nishes the means for controlling elec-
tons.
If this tariff tax was collected at the
door Of the stores by collectors for the
government. the trusts and the Rcpub-
hcan politicians, the customers would
rebel and demand that their represent
atives in congress revise the obnoxious
law. But the politicians are too smart
to fix the tariff law to be collected in
that direct way and have adroitly At
ranged the tax so that it is paid indi-
rectly in the increased cost of the
goods You purchase.
Still, you who are voters have a rem
edy by voting only for candidates for
congress who are pledged to revise the
tariff and for members of the lcgisla-
ture who will vote for United States
senators who are also pledged to tariff
reform. Those who are not voters
wives, mothers and sisters-can use
their influence on husbands, fathers
and brothers to vote for tariff revision,
and to accomplish that you will find it
necessary to support the Democratic
candidates, FOR no other will unreserv-
edly pledge himself to reduce the tariff
tax to the needs of the government
honestly and economically admins
tered.