The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-10-28
Tariff Catechisn1.
Q. What is a tariff I?
o. a duty collected on imports.


g "a duty collected on imports.
@. What is a protective tariff :?
O. a duty imposed upon imports
for the aid of home factories pro.
ducing competing articles -W
@. What is a revenue tariff "?
q. o revenue tariff IL a tariff
levied for the purpose of raising &
revenue.
Q. What is the difference between
the two kinds of tariff d?
A. A revenue tariff is collected
for the benefit of the whole public
and the government stops when il
gets enough. a protective tariff Ii
imposed for private benefit, may be
20 levied AZ to impose heavy burden
without raising much revenue and
there il no limit to its exactfons eX.
cept the greed OF the protected in
terests and the patience of the peo-
pie.
@. Who pays the tariff
"A. The consumer.
@. How can this fact be establish
a. By reason, by observation and
by experience. III a tariff were paid
by the foreigner it would be no pro-
lection to the home industry. Only
when the consumer must pay more
than the foreign price for the domes-
tic article can the home producer
charge more than the foreign price
for the domestic article. A tariff
paid by the foreigner would give
protection to an American manufac-
turer. Then, too, the government
gives rebate On raw material
when the finished product is ex-
ported. Why does the govern
ment pay the rebate to the do
nestle manufacturer if the foreign
er pays the tariff ? But experience
is the best test Go abroad, buy in
the open market, and when you re-
turn you will pay the duty and you
can not find any foreigner to reim-
burse you.
O. IL such a tax constitutional ?
A. 1t violates the spirit of the
constitution for it collects from the
many and gives to the few, but as
the protective features are concealed
in a revenue law it is difficult to get
decision on the principle involved.
@. Can the wisdom of such a tax
be defended
A. No; a policy of favoritism is
never wise in republic. A govern
ment Of the people, by the people and
for the people should be administered
according to the maxim: Equal rights
to all and special privileges to none.
@. Is the present protective tariff
necessary
A No; it is about twice as high
as would be necessary to cover the
entire labor cost of protected manu-
features. The fact that we are ex-
porting an increasing amount of
manufactures il a proof that our in
dustries do not need the present
protection. And it must be remem-
bered that our manufactures have
the benefit of the freight when the
foreigner brings his goods here, while
the foreign competitor has the bene-
fit of the freight when we export
And it must also be remembered that
the tariff on all kinds of material, on
machinery and on food and clothing
increases the cost of articles manu-
featured here. If we can now export
in spite Of these burdens we could
export more if the tariff were re-
duced.
q. Does a high tariff make good
wages
ANo. If it ia said that we pay
higher wages than they do in Eng
1and-a stock argument with protec-
tioniSts-it Is complete answer to
say that England, with no protective
tariff, pays better wages than Ger
many does under protection. Our
best wages are paid in our unprotec-
ted industries and the fact that we
export goods made with our high
priced labor il positive proof that
good wages do not depend upon pro-
lection. The labor organizations
have done far more to increase wages
than all the tariff laws.
O. What about the home market
argument?
"A. The friends OF protection claim
that the farmer can afford to pay
more when he buys because the
manufacturers furnish him a home
market, but this IL a fallacy. The
staples Of the farm are exported and
the price received for the surplus
exported fixes the price received for
the part sold at home. As the farm
er sells in the unprotected market he
ig constantly drained Of his earnings
for the benefit of the manufacturer
and the manufacturer now shows his
ingratitude by selling abroad cheaper
than at home.
@. How has the tariff been main
tanned SO long when 1t is wrong i'm
principle, unwise in policy and I'M
necessary
A. The protected interests have
contributed literally to support liter
airy bureaus and to campaign funds
and have coerced their employees by
the threat Of shutting down. Advo-
Gates of protection have been able to
organize, distribute literature and get
out the vote, while advocates of tariff
reform, as they could promise no
special peclnfary benefits, have had
to make their campaigns without
funds. The advocates of protection
have done much to corrupt public
opinion by boldly teaching that the
voter should use the ballot to ad-
vance his peeuniary interests. The
manufacturer has been invited to vote
dividends into his pocket, the wool
grower has been solicited to vote
himself higher price for wool and
the laboring man has been warned
that a vote against protection would
lower his wages.
@. Is 1t true as often asserted by
advocates OF high tariff that high
tariff always brings good times and
that tariff reform always brings q
panic
"a. No. Prosperity followed the
low tariff of f846, and the panic of
1873 occurred under "a high tariff.