Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-05-12
h The Halls of Congress
Special Washingtop Correspondence.
BY TAV.


 WASHINGTON, May 1-Why do protec- tionists never point to Italy as an illustration of how excessive tariff rates "protect" the common people?
 Italy is one of the most highly protected countries of Europe. It is famous as a country flowing with milk and honey''
 Yet they never talk about Italy
 While in Italy last summer the writer learned at first hand some of the reasons why our pro- tectionists never say: ''Look at Italy"
 Italy puts heavy duties on both agricultural and manufactured imports. She pays her peo- pie exceedingly low wages. She charges them very high prices for the necessities of life They emigrate in great numbers.
 To understand the situation clearly, we must go back to 1S87 About that time violent rev. olution in the system of Italian customs was brought about. A powerful political group of textile manufacturers joined forces for their own ends with powerful political group of large land owners Tariffs were heavily in creased But not on everything. That power full band of textile manufacturers took good care that lesser manufacturers, who made arti- cles needed in the textile factories were not enabled to put up their prices.
 Hand in hand with the powerful manufactur CTS the big land owners came out "for a slice of the tariff pie" In order that they should be sufficiently compensated for being in politics. the land owners had heavy tax placed on wheat growers. Three out of every four land owners in Italy are possessors of small prop critics, cultivating fruit for wine. They have to buy considerable part of the wheat they eat So it happened that where one large wheat farmer got bigger profits, three small fruit farmers got hit. That is the way protection in- variably works. What is one mans protection is another mans poison.
 Italian wheat tax: Millions of Italians never eat wheat bread, except in cases of illness or on special festivals. They make bread of maize In this and other respects the standard of living of the Italian people is very low, because prices are too high
 An enormous fiscal and protective tax was also put upon sugar. The price rose so high, that Italian farmers watched their oranges, lemons, peaches and other products of warm and generous sun, rot on their trees, in order that the thirty three manufacturers of the sugar syndicate might levy upon consumers a yearly tribute.'
 Far and away the chief of the Italian indus tries are slk-reeling and silk throwing These industries have been seriously hampered by pro lection. And Italy is the home of the silk worm.
 One of the chief troubles of Italy is that the general rise in prices has so greatly essened the purchasing power of the wages of the people, that the great mass of the small dealers and the working men and women suffer bitterly.
 It is calculated that while ten Italians lose by protection, only one stands any chance of gaining. He does not always gain, for the country does not progress. The interests off Italy are sacrificed to the one in ten.
 In other words, excessive tariffs increased the cost of living to the Italian people just the Payne -Aldrich law is increasing the cost of liv- ing in the United States.
 Is it any wonder that the protectionists never ask us to "Look at Italy?' Man was made to mourn" vbaf CD b,,t urI1l nbS nf