Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-04-21
RAISING THE COST OF LIVING.
Burdens Which the Payne Tariff Bill
Impose Upon the People and Ben
Gifts to Special interests.


The Payne bill is distinguished from
all other tariff bills in the last thir
ty years by duty on importation of
tea. This is wise provision. Every
penny, less the cost of collection, up
cp importations of tea will reach the
United States treasury. The greater
part of the other duties proposed are
| simply in the nature of a surrender
of taxation in favor of special private
| interests which our. government
clothes with power to levy tribute
on the great body of consumers. To
Illustrate: We will import under the
Payne bill probably about $500,000, 600
worth of highly protected products
which will pay an average ad valoren
rate OF duty of at least 40 per cent,
while the domestic producer, by reas-
on of the prohibitive or restrictive dd-
| ties of that bill. through the agency
of the trusts. will raise to the duty
line the selling price of more than
$4,000, 100000 worth of like domestic
products TO the consumers CT this
| country.
In short, the bill, when enacted,
will not only impose high duties upon
$50O,000, 600 of imports, but in prac-
teal effect will permit a few thou
sand manufacturers to make 100000
consumers pay them tribute of $4,000
100000 in the enhanced price of their
goods
France exempted its mobiles in the
eighteenth century from taxation,
while the peasants and the middle
classes betrayed the expenses of gov
ernment. We go further and dele
gate to a few thousand men the eX-
elusive privilege of practically taxing
for their own benefit the whole body
of our consumers.
This proposed bill of Mr.. Paynes
will not curb the plunder of single
trust. 1t will not add dollar to the
public revenue and revenue we must
have.We have deficit in payment of
ordinary current expenses of the gov
ernment of about $90,0OO.O0O The
appropriations for the fiscal year 1910
are S1,044 100000 1t is evident that
Mr.. Payne and his associates appre-
ciated the danger that this bill
would not produce sufficient revenue
for the expenses of the government,
because they provided for the sale
of $40,000,000 of Panama bonds. and
authorized the issue of O,000,000 Of
treasury certificates. Our tariff max
ers have simply provided for forced
loans to defray the current disburse-
ments of the government rather than
to lessen the burdens of consumers
by reducing prohibitive duties and
thereby making the bill produce a
sufficient revenue
The, cruel wool and woolen
schedules remain unchanged except
as to slight reduction in carpet
| wools, while the duties on carpets of
every description continue, and aver
age from 1876 per cent. to 1856 per
cent. upon the cheaper grades of
carpets used in flats or apartments
by the poorer people. William Whit
man will still enjoy six cents per
pound duty on tops" notwithstand-
ing the cost of changing 100 pounds
CT wool to tops through ''combing"
is not five cents. Not only have
the woclen men been secured in the
continuance of high duties on WOOL
ems. but the glass manufacturers are
to enjoy even increased profits on
a considerable part of their product.
4 The duty on the smallest size of
plate glass has been increased from
an equivalent of 50 per cent. to
103O4 per cent. The second in size
has been increased from 63 per cent.
to 1873 per cent, while window glass,
now made in this country more
cheaply than anywhere else in the
world by the use of recently patent
ed machinery controlled by single
corporation, remains still protected
by duties of from so per cent. to 200
per cent
In the schedule devoted to cotton
goods and yarns no material de-
crease in duties exists, but there
has been an increase of duty on mer-
cerized fabrics and an increase OF
duty on hosiery so great as to
amount to almost a prohibition OF
imports. While reduction OF, the
duty on leather has been proposed
still the duty on women's and chill.
dren's leather gloves of certain sizes
has been increased from 80 pei
cent. to 900 per cent. over the rates
existing in the Dingley bill.
There is, however. no agitator- il
the world so powerful as injustice
and ere long the great body of con.
sumers will appreciate their helpless
ness, and then they will unite ant
put an end to these oppressive
duties.-Franklin Pierce in the New
York World.
TAX WEALTH NOT POVERTY.