The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-22

the Money Collected ON Imports
is Levied ON Articles Not Classcd
as .Necessaries Of Life"
The so-called "tariff taxes are
paid by the rich. That is the conclu-
sion reached by Arthur j. Dodge, q
well known writer on the ta...... IN an
article discussing the various phases
of the subject.
Mr.. Dodge demonstrates from the
records OF the Treasury Department
that ninety per cent. of all tariff du-
ties are paid upon articles classed as
luxuries consumed by the rich, leay-
ing little, II any, of these duties to
be paid by the great mass OF people
who are classed as the wage earners
and farmers.
This information is particularly In
teresting at this time when Mr.. Bryan
and his followers are asserting that
THE poor are oppressed by the tariff
taxes" and "the masses are bowed
down under the weight of tariff taxes
upon the necessaries of life"
II these duties are really paid by
the American consumer and not by
the foreign exporter, 1t is thus shown
that the burden, II burden there Is.
rests wholly upon the rich.
The following table compiled from
Government records is presented:
Tariff Facts.
Total values Of goods admitted
Total values cf dutiabie imports 81 SSS, SSS
Total duties collected. ). ....... 257,OOO, 900
Total duties collected on "lux-
Tes sifs values Of dutiabie iasaries So09000
imported $500. .....;.;.. 100000
Average rate of duty on all du.
table imports. .,............Fpe per cent.
Average rate Of duty on com.
pleted manufactures ....... 40 per cent.
Average rate of duty on -lux-
Luxuries admitted free Of duty,
valued at only. $1l 900 600
Values Of all other articles I'D.
mitted free Of duty. ......... 443, 1000
In this list the $so.oOo,o0e OF
duties collected on what are officially
classed as Injuries amounts only to
about thirty per cent. of the whole
external revenue. But the writer
shows that the finer grades OF many
other imports should also be classed
as Injuries, and that the tariff so
recognizes them in putting higher
rate upon them than upon the lower
grade of the same commodities.
Such classes are fine linen, onyx
and other valuable stones; fine ma
chinery, etc., from which the revenue
increases the luxury" budget to
about $230,000, 000-that is. ninety
per cent. of the total external rev
enue.
Protection, Wages and Prosperity.
After all, at the base OF this sub
ject Of tariff duties levied upon ar
ticles imported, whether Of Injuries
or necessities, there rest important
principles which the working people,
farmers and general consumers Of
goods in the country should reflect
upon, when considering where vote
may safely and wisely be placed In
the Presidential election, and in the
election of members of Congress.
While 1t may be important that the
rate of duty on "luxuries" shall be
higher than the rate Of duty on
necessities" after all, 1t is a ques-
ton of wages for the workingmen,
and prosperity of the industries In
the United States which produce the
articles which directly compete with
the imported goods, whether they
be "luxuries' or necessities" The
Bryan free-trade idea is to reduce
the duties on necessities" no matter
how much labor may be expended
upon such goods.