The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-05-28
TEA ASD COFFEE SHOULD
RENAL A. ON THE FREE LIST.

ANSiSOA W = 0lOi I'LL, VI 1euooS ASiouu
the chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, and the other Republic
can members of that committee,
while protectlonists of the straigh-
test sect and of the most nncom-
promising type, realize that it is no
trifing matter to arouse the resent
ment of the people, irrespective of
party, bJ'taxing tea and coffee, says
the Baltimore Sun. Throughout
the campaign of 1908 the voters
were encouraged by the Republican
party to believe that the promised
revision of the tariff would be in the
interest of the consumer as well as
of the manufacturer, Of agriculture
and of labor.
Now, it is distinctly against the
interests Of consumers for Congress
to levy, for any purpose whatever
a tax on tea and coffee, two neces.
earies of life which are articles of
universal consumption in the United
States. But this is precisely what
Mr.. Aldrich and his Republican
colleagues of the Senate Finance
Committee propose to do. Their
bill provides for minimum and
maximum tariff. Until March 81,
1909, the minimum tariff, under the
provisions of which tea and coffee
are on the free list, will be in effect.
But on March 81, 1910, the maxi
mum tariff will become "the general
tariff of the United States" and will
be enforced against every country
discriminating in any way against
the United States. Under the pro-
visions Of this general tariff the
rate of duty on tea will be 10 cents
pound and on coffee 5 cents pound
while there will be an additional rate
of % per cent. ad valorem on most
of the schedules of the minimum
tariff.
II the Senate has wise and just con.
sideration for the int erests of the
masses of the people, it will exempt
tea and coffee solutely from the
operations of the maximum tariff.
It will make these necessaries free
of duty under any and all circu m
stances. No emergency exists
which justifies imposing upon the
people the burden of a tax on tea
and coffee. To impose such a tax
by way of Furnishing other countries
will add to the living expenses of
practically every household in the
land and will punish Americans
more than the foreigners against
whom the ratalliat;on will be aimed
It would be an absurd as we'll as q
grievouly unjust, oppressive and
destructive policy to add to the
cost of living of the working people
of the United States and, indeed, of
all classes of consumers merely to
''get even" with the countries which
produce tea and coffee. 1t would be
utterly inconsistent with any intelli-
gent plan of defence against foreign
discrimination against the United
States. Common sense, elementary
considerations ofjustice and regard
for the "pocket neryen of the masses
of the American people should con-
vince Senators of the unwisdom and
the injustice of making tea and cot.
fee and other table necessaries in uni
versal use factors in a tariff war. To
compel the people of this country to
pay a heavy tax on these necessaries
because of an alleged discrimination
by certain foreign countries against
the product Of some New England or
Western manufacturer wonld arouse
general indignation among the
masses of consumers. Mr.. Aldrich
: and the other aggressive and uncom.
promising protectionists would soon
find they had stirred up hornets
nest at home.
The Republican party must &C.
cept the consequences of the tariff
revision which the special session of
Congress was convened to effect.
1t will be an extraordinary revision
indeed If it results in taxing tea and
coffee, therefore, on the free list, and
in adding IS per cent. ad valorem
to cost Of sugar. What ought to be
done in respect to sugar is to reduce
materially the Dingley rate on the
refined article, thus probably increas-
ing the revenues from that sourse,
while enabling the American people
to buy at less cost than they do now
with sugar practically controlled by
a monopoly and enjoying a grossly
excessive rate of protection. If the
Republican majority in the Senate
has Just consideration for the people
as well as political wisdom and pru-
dence, it will pass a tariff bill which
will afford The consumers of the
country proper degree of protec-
ton from interests which long fat
tened on taaitt. And this program
of proteesasa for the people must in