Fair play., 1908-04-04
POINTS WELL TAKEN
INioUiTY 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 Beveridse
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 a man
may be. whether he be a protectionist
or a 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
the United States in a number of in
stances are sold In foreign countries
under the present tariff at lower
rate than In America.
The fourth fact, which is already
established and in the minds of the
American people, is that 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 inntances,
including those in the wooden and
glass schedules. all articles of neces-
sity. 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 effect OF the tariff tax
on raw materials, which affects the
manufacturers, primarily, we must
| not forget or neglect as the Repub.
| licans do. the interests of the consum-
ers, of whom there are about 5000, 900
| In Massachusetts. The motto of the
| Democratic party Is, as / understand
| it, the greatest good To the greatest
| number
| Careful estimates show that the
average tariff tax per family paid in
1903 was about $111 for the United
States. OF this tax only S16.52 per
family went to the government. Over
$94 went to the trusts and other pro
tected interests. II is probable that
this tax for the benefit of trusts aver
aged 500 per family for the $50, ,OOC
families in Massachusetts, or s65 900,
900 for the commonwealth.
while 1t is impossible, as long as
we obtain our revenue largely from
tariff taxes, to prevent considerable
salvage for the protected trusts, ye
our aim should be to minimize this LOST
and to get into our treasury at Wash
ington nearly every dollar collected
from the people. There should be NJ
tariff graft for the trusts This $10
tariff tax paid by each family shoult
go for more and better food and cloth
ing for our women and children, AM
not to increase the dividends on tn
watered stocks of the protected COZ
porations. Our constant aim shoul
be to reduce the cost of living an
TO increase the comforts and healt
Of the people,
1T may not be possible to remov
all of this heavy burden, but it is or
tirely possible to remove the grea
err portion of it. l propose to do m
utmost to free our industries and ou
people from oppressive taxation"
But then Gov. Douglas has show
himself to be statesman, and thu
able to take broader view OF tn
plundering tariff than the Republica
politicians can attain to.