The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-04-03
POINTS WELL TAKEN
lNiouITY OF PRESENT TARIFF
RATES EXPOSED.
With Taxes Of Over 100 Per Cent. on
Articles Of Necessity, Repub.
iican Leaders Still Refuse
Necessary Relief.

In his speech against the Beverage
bill on the 9Th of February Senator
Culberson established by facts and
figures exceedingly important points
relating to the present tariff law.
The first Is that the average ad
valorem tariff tax is 45 per cent. or
more.
THE second fact is that the average
tariff which we have now Is far great.
er than the difference between the
cost Of labor in foreign countries and
in this country. SO. whatever man
may be. whether he be protectionist
or revenue reformer. like myself,
the fact stares him in the face that
we have schedules now which go far
beyond the difference between the
cost Of labor in foreign countries and
in the United States.
THE third fact, which Is indisput.
able Is that manufactured articles in
tho United States In number OF in.
stances are sold in foreign countries
under the present tariff at lower
ldlc IMAM III America.
THE fourth fact, which Is already
established and in the minds OF the
American people, is that n protective
tariff fosters and encourages the
creation of trusts"
In spite of these four facts the Re.
publican leaders refuse even to con.
slider bills for revising the tariff, even
to the extent Of not considering the
bill now before congress to reduce
the tariff on all articles upon which
the tariff tax Is over 100 per cent.
And there are many such instances.
including those in the wooden and
glass schedules all articles Of ncCcs.
stty. Think Of it, necessities taxed by
the tariff over 100 per cent
How different is the position on the
tariff OF former Gov. Douglas Of
Massachusetts. who In his speech OF
acceptance when a candidate for gov
ernor said
Besides the effeet of the tariff tax
on raw materials, which affects the
manufacturers, primarily, we must
not forget or neglect. as the Repub
leans do, the interests of the consum
ers. Of whom there are about $1,000 900
in Massachusetts. The motto OF the
Democratic party is, as | understand
1t, the greatest good to the greatest
number
Careful estimates show that the
average tariff tax per family paid in
1908 was about Sill for the United
States. OF this tax only $685. per
family went to the government. over
1874 went to the trusts and other pro.
tected interests. 1t is probable that
this tax for the benefit OF trusts aver.
aged 500 per family for the 100000
families In Massachusetts. or $50 900.
900 for the commonwealth.
While It Is impossible, MS long as
we obtain our revenue largely from
tariff taxes, to prevent considerable
salvage for the protected trusts yet
our aim should be to minimize this loss
and to get into our treasury at Wash.
ingt0n nearly every dollar collected
from the people. There should be no
tariff graft for the trusts. This 500
tariff tax paid by each family should
so for more and better food and cloth.
ing for our women and children. and
not to increase the dividends on the
watered stocks Of the protected cor.
porations, Our constant aim should
be to reduce the cost of living and
to increase the comforts and health
of the people,
III may not be possible 10 remove
all Of this heavy burden but II is On.
urely possible to remove the great.
er portion Of It propose to do my
utmost to free our industries and our
people from oppressive taxation"
But then Gov Douglas has shown
himself to be statesman. and thus
able to take broader view Of the
plundering tariff than the Republican
politicians can attain to.