Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-07
If the Consumer Pays the Tax.

The Reader. Of course, IL Thrill ioi
revenue only, such as Mr. Bryan IA
yors. would mean putting the heaviest
possible duties Oh the best revenue
producing imports. These are coffee,
tea. chocolate, tropical fruits and all
people must have and cannot produce
themselves. All of these are free UNI
der or present protective tariff sys-
tcm. and if the Democratic party I'M
der Rryan's leadership wants 10 go be-
fore the country on the proposition of
Hitting n tariff on these articles. the
Rcpuhlicans will meet them on that is
sue wiki great cheerfulneSs.
But Senator Pevcridge points out
H.. At il the Democrats favor tariff for
revenue only they cannot stop with q
tax Of This kind. If revenue is the
oaly cnnsdt ration they must amend
the constitution and raise our revenue
from oul exports instead of our i'm
lJDItS., WtdliSt- bul tEIbti u iI' Si'"''i
tnan or imports and would produce
more revenue Especially is this true.
if, IS Nj. bryan says. the consumer
paws all Of the tariff duty. For we
are the greatest producers of food
SUITS il al the world. All foreign
Countries and especially Europe. ana
mere particularly England, absolutely
mast have our wheat. corn, cattle,
sheep. hogs. C,c We produce more
cotton thar an the rest Of The world
put together.
If. then. the consumer pays al Of the
tariff duties. as Mr. Bryan contends,
says Senator Bcveridge why no,
amend the constitution. transfer our
tariff duties from our imports Ia olIr
exports and thus make the foreign con-
sumner Of our foOdStulfs ana other
In This gay the reigncr would pay
absolutely al the revenue we need.
/ 1t could not possibly hurt our farmers
becaus" the remainder Of the world
must have our food products and our
cotton; and putting an export duty
upon these commodities would there
fore not diminish their markets abroad
/ 1t Would not hurt our American pro-
! duccrS, because, according to Mr.
! Bryan, the foreign consumer of these
products would have to pay all Of
these export duties
! Of coarse, lhis would require an
( amendment to the constitution: for the
constitution provides that we shall
levy no duties on goods exported from
any state. But this should not be a
serious objection, for Mr. Bryan is pro-
posing several amendments to the con-
stitution, and all Of his proposed
amendments PUT together would not be
50 good for the people as this single
amendment permitting MS to tax ex-
ports, IT, as he says. the consumer alone
pays tho tax.
! Will Mr.. Bryan propose such an
amondrlent? He should do 50 if the
theory that the consumer alone paws
the tax is correct; for il would at once
rhapie Us to rails" every dollar our gov
rrnmrnt needs without taking one cent
On 1t out Of the pockets Of our own
people. according to the theory that
me consumer alone pays the tax every
cent of ii would come out of the
pockets Of foreigners. And y ,.lan
"hlcl would enable US 10 run our rov-
eminent at the expense of foreign ma
lions. thus relieving our people from,
! every kind ot taxation cXcept nunici-
i'di ''hh state. would be a blessing 50
great that IN amendment 10 the con.
Sthutioii permitting us to put this nlan
in operation would sweep the country
In this fashion does Senator Royer-
idse get after Mr.. Bryan and those
statesmen of his kind who by n loose
process of thinking or by no thinking
az all are led to advocate a tariff for
revenue Only. or course there is M.
s"Nut"ly TO logical answer to the
proposition that We shall tax cynor,e
instead of imports if the consumer
anon" rays the tax, bat just here IS
"her" the free traders. and those who
favor tariff for revenue ONLY. fall
down with heavy thud. for as a mat
ter of fact the consumer paws only :,
small part of the tax
The foreign producer of goods i'm
ported into this country makes \ little
smaller profit Oh account of our tariff.
ms workingmen are paid n little lower
wages on account of our tariff. The
importer Goes not make quite 50 large
commission on account of the tariff.
ana tn" consumer pays a little higher
price, provided he insists on buvinp
the foreign article imported into this
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