The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-05-30

people VINO complain Snould DIANE tue
retailers for robbing them.
Republican senators who are preach
ing this new doctrine are great ad-
mirers of Alexander Hamilton, and
often refer to him as the first OF the
great DrotectiOnists whose faith has
been indicated By the course of leg
islation which has developed the ma
ton. The other day Senator Root
said: I'VE have built I'D under TINS
policy of protection the industrial in
dependence OF the United States. IL
was the dream of Alexander Hanifl-
ton. 1t has been fulfilled"
TT may well be doubted" says the
Buffalo Courier, whether Hamilton
dreamed that this country was TO be-
come great through any system or
taxation; but if he had such dream
it was based on a theory radically
different from that advocated In these
later DAYS. The only national tarlH
that he knew levied customs duties
averaging about 3 per cent compared
to the As per cent of the existing law
The Hamilton tariff would now be de-
nounced as free trade
Moreover, Hamilton maintained
that customs duties increase the cost
of commodities on which they are
imposed. On this point Republican
SeudLOIS uliSnL ICdu WIN -
port prepared by him over century
ago in which he declared that the
most common experience, Joined. TO
the concurrent opinions of the ab!est
commercial and political observers,
has established beyond controversy
this general principle, that every duty
on imports IS incorporated with the
price of the commodity, and ultimate
" paid by the consumer, with a profit
on the duty itself, as a compensation
to the merchant for the advance OF
his money"
The digging up of the report made
by Hamilton on the effect of tarim
duties will cause the Republican sen
ators some embarrassment, for it is
evident that he is a Damaging witness
and one who eXplodes their conter-
ton that tariff duties are not respon-
sibIe for the increased cost or cont
modities to the consumer. The gen
eraI principle laid down by the lead
er of the old Federaliats is as sound
today as it was when tiTst formulated,
and in the elucidatioh of 1t in his re-
port Hamilton went on 70 say:
"The merchant considers the duty
demanded by the stale on the i'm
ported article in the same light with
freight or any similar charge, and
adding it to the original sum. It may
happen at particular conjunctions
where the markets are overstocked
and there is a competition among the
sellers, this may not be practicable
! but in the general course Of trade the
demand for consumption preponder-
ates. and the merchant can with ease
| indemnify himself and even obtain
profit on the advance. AS consumer
| he pays his share of the duty. but II
| is no further a burden upon him"
tt is well to note that Hamilton die
not attempt to advance any theory OF
| economic doctrine, but contented him.
| self with giving expression to whai
| he called "the most common opinions
/ of the ablest commercial and political
| observers" Therefore, 1t will require
| a vast amount of assurance for the
| Republican senators in the light OF
| his recorded views to cite Alexander
! Hamilton in defense of Aldrichism
| His report sustains the Democratic
| side of the tariff argument. and 'estah-
| fishes the fact that every duty Or
| imports is incorporated with the price
| Of the commodity" hence the higher
| the duty the higher the price the con-