The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-08-09
How the People are Fooled.

- SGucu l1CudtOA A4LAeth -HSH@S W. N-@S
floor of: thu United States Senate that
the Republican leaders who had con-
cocted the tariff scheme, that has
since been enacted into law. was the
'.boldest set Of buccaneers that ever
got together" he was not far wrong.
He might nave said the same thing
about the Democrats who. helped the
pass the iniquitous
measure. For proof Of his asser-
tioE,. one ,,rly has to read carefully
tn, provisions of the tariff law that
Ha az passed last year. The Trainers
Of that bill not only robs the people
for the benefit Of "the Interests" bnt
they attempt to fool the people by
the adroit manner in which the law
is Wcrded into the belief that the
duties levied under it are not as
high as they really are. One Of the
most outrageous provisions of the
bill is the one which provides for
q conditional Increase of rs per cent.
ad ..valorem. duty This conditional
increase was to go In effect on the
31st of last March.
Now let us see how the tariff will
work wnon this increase goes into
effect, which it will surely do, as
the Republican party always stands
ready to pile on the taxes on the
masses for. the benefit of the classes.
The only thing that will prevent the
Republicans from putting on this
increase If they have not already
done $50, would be. the election Of d
Democratic House this fall. Accord
ing to Congressman 'Cullop. of In
diana, who has studied the bill. on
the chemical schedule there is a
reduction, but on the important ar
tlcles of universal consumption In
the necessities Of life there is a
large increase. On the schedule du-
Ties there is an increase OF two per
cent: over the Dingley rates. IN
other WORDS. the average specific du-
ties in the 'Dingley bin we're Is per
cent and IN the Payne-Aldrich bill
the average specific duties are Al
per cent, The bill reported by the
conference committee is higher than
the Payne bill as originally passed
by the house.
But the specific schedule duties do
not constitute the real rates, and
this is where the public Is being
buncoed about the real tariff. In
section two Of the bill is where the
consumer is. handed a good sized
lemon. That section provides that
after the S1st day Of March, 1910,
there shall ,be levied, collected and
paid on all articles when imported
from any foreign country into the
United States tie rates of duty pre-
scrlbed by the schedules and para
graphs of the dutiable, list of section
one. and IN addition thereto 25 per
cent. ad ralorem: which rates shall
constitute Lie maximum tariff of the
United States This means tha, IN
addition to the rates fixed in the
more than 1000 specific schedules
there shall be added as the taric
IS per cent. Of the value Of the
articles as real tariff on the same
and hence this raises the average
tariff rate to 72 per cent, the high
est BY for ever levied. "
Let, lis illustrate what is meant by
this. For instance, take rough lum-
Der. the cheapest kind. The speci-
fic duty fixed in the schedule is $1.25
per Thousand. but to which must be
added the Is per cent. ad- valorem
duty provided BY said section two.
SUPPOSE such lumber is valued at
$40 per thousand feet, rs per cent
81 iha. value. is $3.50, to which add
the $1.25, and It would make the
tariff on rough lumber Of that value
ss.75 per thousand feet. On lum-
ser valued at $40 a thousand the
tariff is IS 25, and on lumber ,valu-
ca at. $50 thousand it is ss.75.
The 'Dingley rates were 81 thous-
and straight. Thus it will be seen
there has been very large increase
Id the tariff on lumber instead Of a
decrease, if the maximum rate pre-
sails. and it will sooner or later, if
it has not already done So.
If this. is a Democratic revenue
rate" as some uhimformed people
claim it is, We would like for them
to tell what a Republican protec-
ton rate Is. What is true Of lum-
Der. which We have taken as an il
fdstration, is true Of every item in
tie dutiable list consisting Of more
than 1000 items. The woolen sched-
ale on specific duties is the same as
the Dingiey law, to which must he
added the 25 per cent. ad valorem
duty, which makes an enormous raise
IN the tariff on WOODEN goods, which
hits us all very hard, as all of US
have to wear more Or less wooden
clothes. If the great mass of consul
ners could be made to realize how
much they are robbed for the bene-
ct Of the protected interests OF this
country, the robber tariff would soou
be at an end, as the plundered people
would rise in their might and drive
the active agents of the thieves from
the places Of power which they now
use entirely for the benefit OF the
trusts and large corporations nv mass