Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-05-03
FITCH FROM PEOPLE.
ALL ARE PAYING TRIBUTE TO
THE STEEL TRUST.
TarIn Reformer. Surely May Find
Much In the Steel Schedule to
Interest Them-Let the Peo-'
pIe Write Tax Laws.

In January last the import price OF
tinplate-that is, the price Of the i'm
ported plate in the foreign market
was $3.50 hundred pounds. At the
same time the price of the domestic
plate was 1884 a hundred pounds.
The tariff tax is $1.20 a hundred
pounds. The difference between the
home and the foreign price-was "a
cents a hundred pounds. Thus the
home manufacturer got all but 26
cents Of the duty-got 81 cents out OF
the 1920. The. price has been stead
lily rising of recent months. In June.
1909. the price in this country was
1854; in January last it was 1884;
by March 1t had risen to 1894. At
this figure. had the foreign price re-
NAMED the same, all but 10 cents Of
the duty would have been absorbed.
Thus 1t is that we protect the steel
trust at the expense Of every user Of
tin in the country. We pay 1894 for
what costs $3.50 abroad.
And this suggests that the tariff re-
formers-of whom we are glad to say
there are many-might find much in
the steel schedule to interest them.
We often hear OF the wonderful or
ganization and equipment of the steel
trust, Of its financial stability, of its
Industrial power, Of its command and
ownership of natural resources. In
view of all this it does not seem too
much to say that there is no compe-
tition in the world of which 1t has
any reason to be afraid. 1t has been
shown many times, to take another
case. that 1t can make steel rails as
cheaply as they are made anywhere
else in the world. Surely there is
no reason why 1t should not do so.
Yet 1t has for years maintained the
price at $28 a ton, far above the for
eign price, and has sold its rails
abroad much lower than at home.
Here is a direct tax on the railroads.
which, by the way, sustain the most
intimate relations to the trust.
We hope that this steel schedule
will not be overlooked. In many
cases the people are asked to furnish
protection to industries which, If they
cannot now stand alone. never will
be able to do 30. Indeed, the modern
protectionists never expect them to
do SO, for they avow their intention
to keep on protecting American in
dustries whether they need 1t or not.
But that is not. we are convinced. the
theory held by the American people.
It was not the theory of the old pro-
tectionists. such as Garfield and sher-
man, or, to go farther back. Henry
Clay. There are many Republicans
today who accept the earlier doctrine
and there will be more Of them.
The fight which has been begun by
the interests to defeat reciprocity.
and to thwart the tariff reform move
ment will make many converts to
the reform cause. We are face to
face once more with the stupid and
stolid opposition to any lowering. OF
duties, to any policy that even
squints in that direction. The men
who think 1t right that they should
be permitted to levy taxes on the PEG.
pie for the benefit of Industries in
which they themselves are interested
naturally resent the idea that the
people should, through their repre-
sentatives. rather than through the
representatives Of the Industries to
be subsidized. white their own tax
laws.-1ndianapolis News.