Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1910-09-20
THE COST OF THE TARIFF

government from tariff duties
spent in the conduct of the national
institution. Even some of the
most INTEL gent of Anne ricans who
have not made IL, question a
study think this system, therefore.
costs our countrymen about $780,
600. 900 year. In otner words
there seems to he an impression
abroad that if you add $3OO,00O,-
0OO year to the cost of prices of
our importations, you would about
reach the sum total of the iniquity
that this protective system perpe-
trates upon the people. But this is
a mere trifle in comparison with
the actual amount that it cost the
consumers of the United States.
Every protective duty raises the
price of svery article that is pro-
tected to the American consumer.
Everything that is purchased 1cn|
which there is protective duty is
by virtue of protection enhanced
to the pl rcnaser. Every clerk
who stands behind every counter
every merchant who sells a yard
or a pound of goods, every sales
man who sells his wares to the CITY
and country stores, upon which
there is a protective duty, is an
involuntary tax collector, and not
one dollar of this enormous tribute
goes into the treasury of the
United States. Just let us grasp
this proposition and thoroughly
comprehend it. Take any one of
the 1000 articles in the schedules
that are protected, and you will
find an article increased in price
by reason of protection. AS this
propoS ton was rung into the
senate chamber the republican
majority sat sullenly by without
even plausible attempt at refuta-
ton. Why? Because the proposition
cannot be -efuted Of course, to
some extent, prices would be in
creased by a revenue tariff, but
nothing in comparison to the in
crease under a protective tariff.
The historic ground that the DEM
ocrats in the senate stood on, was
that if protective tariff does not
increase prices why not take it off
in every case where the duty is
prohibitive? Why not stop when
the revenue limit is reached?
When the government has enough
revenue what right has it under
the taxing power to place an
embargo upon the peoples right
to purchase in the cheapest market
the necessities and comforts of
life? Tested by every principle of
enconomic and natural Justice
what right has this government to
say to its people, who demand, for
instance, free wool and free
lumber and free shelter and free
garments, that thew shall not have
them and that the taxing power so
high duty should not be placed
upon them as to prohibit their
importation into the country?
Now, what tribute do the people
pay? To everyone who will plunge
into the tariff schedules and then
place alongside Of them the table
of manufactures from the census
bureau, the inquiry can be answer
ed with almost mathematical preci-
sion. If by protective tariff we
are raising $500, 100000 a year,
then the people of the United
States, by the process and methods
explained will pay more than two
thousand million dollars a year
every year so long as the law
stands upon the statute books.
This two thousand million dollars a
year in increased prices goes TO
those who produce and sell pre-
tected good.
Two thousand million dollars a
year is a very low estimate. In
order not to have lany controversy.
about the figures this was the sum