Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-07-16
THE TARIFF.

A tax is a burden imposed by law and
submitted TO because presumably u is
necessary to the maintenance OF orderly
government l have never been able 10
conceive of any Just theory upon which
taxation could be levied. except to pro-
duce a revenue to support the govern tbnt
there should be equality in the burdens
of taxation. The tariff, under our law.
Is a tax aid upon imports from foreign
countries into the United states Tor con-
sumntion here. The tax is paid by the
Importer in the first instance, and Is then ,
added as an item making up tns uotai
cost of the article affected. In the emo
consImption pays the tax In other
words. the tariff is merely indirect tax
alton. l have said that the c0ntronnns
principle of just taxation snoui9 oe 10
raise a needed revenue Tor puphc put
noses. and so levied as to cast the DUR
den with the greatest possible equaLlty
upon all. If incidentally the TAX Pr
tects domestic production against outsIue
competition, as of course II Always ~
to the extent of the tax, it Is al tne
better. But we have long since departeo
from these fundamental rules o. ieStrr
mate and just taxation. Inc poncy nJH
long in vogue has been TO impose taias
| duties not so much to raise revenue as
10 close the door against foreign conlpeo
| tition in American markets, ana 70 CIV
| to American producers a moh0poiy III oiiny
| nIving home consumption. n poiiGg
has been carried to an extreme IN tnis
country. To such an extreme, lhueeu'
has it been carried, and so long con-
tinued, that it has become an nom-
HE abuse, fostering great business OH
| binations which mercilessly piuhdet tne
neople. The tariff, more than anytninS
eeIsa. has made possible the or~gahlzatiun
of those great industrial tr9S bronSh The
yersaIIy condemned, which, throusn eue
tariff. not only escape foreign compeIi-
lion. but are able to crush domestlc I'LL ins
petition also, These giant m nmth the
are to a large extent tae oue sg{ow II is
progeny, of our tariff ;ystem. - che
= matter of common knowledge mat tne
wealth of the country is largely va
tered in a few hands. l 90 Eot co ILL.,
that all the fabulous fortunes pJbijHitoTy
nv Americans are due to our prohLptnuouyy
tariff hut | do contend that pTactlcailS
ali the great industrial aHi%e
and flourish because OF IL. Inc w
able tendency OF tnis iSn Of Industrial
effort and hence the coneentratloh aa1o
81 tbe nations wealth. More h tnat'
If enables the producer to leVy ~
scionable extortion upon tne connot the
~ % a tnown fact, not denied, that the
General run of American manuIactuIes
are sold cheaper in foreign coui nnod9
than at home. This is true OF d IOTu pTt
Staai rails and substantially everything
Else The Chicago Journal, with ASST
nous care and great LABOR, reeeioss nre-
cured prices on many STAPLE at'o ot hpn1e
valllng on 'ne The Figures disclosed that
nlnat PRODUCTS from Omaha. ShIGaso
and St. Louis, steel products from 10
burg, watches from New Engtanu, from
,,eefors from the middle west, SHOES LlO,n
e. Isorlis and Boston, and numerous
Sther products from many. states VIZ
found to have a market price III ct
communities far below the P Paoer+Iv
T,bicb thev were sold at home. itecentlS
M George Spencer of Treadweil bro'iI,
e ne' a large shoe distributing house IN
London, stated that he hau seen t
identical American shoe whlch was * M
sold in London at 1887 marketed at SoVO
ao o NV, York stores. With ready acumen
he observed that if there was a PIo to-
on the price in London, then me prolis
in America is so tha' IL nianti-
70 axnlain why millionaires are as plsntL-
f,l in America as blackberries IN Els
land Illustrations showing ike olscIl Va
nations in numerous artlcles couIu IA
multiplied, but mere addltloHs fioe If
serve no intelligent purpose. SulliSe ~
TO saw in general terms, that the iit nnd
ence in prices between the nome an
foreign markets ranges from apouI rho
+ to 40 per cent in favor OF the iattei while
advocates of the present tariIl, e.
t admitting the cheaper price aptoau To- TO
American products, put forth the plea
that the things sold abroad TepreseLe
{ only a surplus of production ap ~ otber
needs of our own market. IN otnvl
words. the contention is that our manu-.
factrrers overproduce, and then are
to unload their surplus prooucts'
. Tog15T + a. ; loss, IN fofelgTSks
;e ~ nv mind that argument is worse tina
y pueriie. 1t implies that the pollcy u uu
Il manufaetG 1rst on Is 40 and PROT not for export
Il ~ tbat he true, then they oyerpr2uus[
d 70 the extent of many hundred mlraL%to
& every year, which they are tGtoSSfu
y. send abroad because presume SUM Dpf$hgr an
y go s IT MSs'e do not beliEeAer s. who
e. were true that our manu1aStaIpr bust
d are trained, discipline, s PSI the home
Of ness men, produced 9ntfffiy for foreign
N markets, they wouIaorfGous. There ism:
sc duce a surplus so, ssnS1fhe United States
Id a manufaetursg. @olfinately anticipate the
n, > who cann 9sS %sgd upon him If he cares res
r. aomestlc ~ nome market u Is an ~ az,
u surdity VI Beyond its probable demand
te year s2s9tnre to produce, knowing ina
an cr93sld be obliged to export the oVer
~ m for sale at a loss; II is posltlVehI!
lLfSsdrefgn market as he does for the nom
g market, and he ships abroad because y
z Is attracted by the profit he obtains. "a
4 Esells cheaper in the foreign market on
nevertheless the profit is sufficiently at
II t~ractive for him to seek 1t. 1t is onE
on the tariff-ridden American that mo
IS nopoly fattens. The bulk of our import
n ant industries have fallen into the hand
If of combinations. These
under the operation of the tariff, nave
,e monopoly of the domestic markets an
are enabled to charge American cor
a. sumers higher prices than they can OF
Ir tain abroad in the face of competitor
hence they have two scales of prices
high one for the home market, and
n. lower one for the foreign market. M
IN feIloW-citizens | do not believe this to /
n a healthy economic and industrial cor
IN dition, to say nothing of its honesty.
is amazing to me that the great cor
nc Stunning population of the states woul
I'd submit for a day to its continuance.
N Not only are consumers interested
81 this question, but manufacturers, alst
who still survive the trusts and WI
Is are not yet affiliated with them. Thei
er are many patriotic, enterprising me
engaged in manufacturing who see
81 better opportunities to expand the
business and exploit the
ed other countries. There are materia
ne produced abroad which they need in Il
he conduct of their business, and the e.
IT ormous tariff laid upon their import
a lions handicaps them with unnecessal
70 burdens and hardships. 1t clips the
as wings and holds them in restraint. The
men also look with apprehension up'
OF the growing hostility, more and mo
re manifest in foreign countries, iowa
American productions, because of the e
a clusion of foreign merchants and man
ng facturers from our markets. They wa
'ut to enlarge, not restrict, our trace rel
tiOns with the world. IheSe men Cam
ne for a genuine revision of the tariff. A
the time has come when the Americ'
people should demand that the schedul
ro- of the existing law be revised; and q
it'll mand, too, tina it be done without pI
rit crastination, not in the interest of trus
ac- and monopolies, but solely In the pub
no interest. Monopoisttc trust-made goo
IEg should be made to face the competiti
ce, of the world.
uld When, under republican auspices, C
"a the country reasonably expect a tai
De revision? And what kind? Since I
close Of the civil war the tar
md schedules nave been several times
yised, but Eearly always on a risi
scale, going higher and higher. i
rn. more thar a generation we have be