The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-07-08
SOME TARIFF FACTS
PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW
Tariff Exposes the Consumer ia
All the Extortion Protected
Interests See Fit.
Even At Best It Imposes An Un-
just Share Of Burden Upon
the Wage Farmers.

From figures furnished by the GEN.
sus of 1900 able stattsticians Hike
John Graham Brooks and Charles B.
Spahr were able to show that by for
the greater part of all property in
the United States has passed into the
possession of about nine per cent Of
the population. The census of 1910
will undoubtedly show a continuance
of its revenues in such a way that
the nine per cent who own most Of
the wealth need pay but nine per
cent Of the taxes, If indeed they pay
that much; while the 81 per cent who
own the smaller share Of the property
pay at least 81 per cent Of the fed
eral revenue. Tariffs and internal
revenue taxes are taxes on consump-
ton and it is impossible to raise re-
vevenue by such means without dis
tributing them in this 1nequitable
manner. II federal revenues would
be raised through some form Of d.
rect taxation, even If it were as unjust
and iniQuitous form as that through
which most state and local revenue
Is raised, the owners Of the large
share of the property would pay a
Tar more equitable share of the
taxes than they now do and the own
ers Of the balance would be relieved
of part at least Of the unjust share
Of the burden they are now forced
to bear. Does not this show who
really gets protection from the tariff ?
Selling Produts Abroad.
Congressman William G. Redfield of
Brooklyn Is a manufacturer of machin-
cry. His business experience has
! made him familiar with the way
American sproducts are sold abroad
In addition to this he has recently
taken a trip around the world on
! which he took pains to gather infor-
nation. He has found that on the
railways of Japan are 720 American
locomotives. He told how a repres.
entative Of American manufacturers
called on the head Of the Japanses
Imperial Railways and was told: 1--WE
can make locomotives much cheaper
than you can in America. We have
American equipment and we can pro-
duce them for less than you can.
Can you?" answered the American
III SO let us get at the facts. II 20,
WILL tell me from your cost sheets
precisely what your locomotives cost
l Will tell your what ours cost. Ant
by the way what makes you thinl
your locomotives cost less than ours 2
why" answered the Japanese "be
cause we only pay one fifth Of tn,
wages to our men that you pay It
yours
J So they got the cost books and the,
found that the fact was that the Ia
Dor cost for locomotives on the sam,
specifications was three and one hal
times greater In the Japanses shop
than In the American shops.
Mr.. Redfield told about an exper
fence OF one Of his agents in Calcutta
india DO you see these shoes" sal,
his agent to him, II paid sass To-
those shoes" why that is an Amer
lean shoe." said Mr.. Redfield. yes
answered the agent. II bought it here
It is the regular American $500 shoe
wore them to New York and wen
into the store on Broadway wher
they are sold and asked what TIL
price was there and was told It wa
their regular $500 shoe" II.
! Yet American shoe manufacturers