The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-10-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
BY {. II. Tayenncr.

Washington. Why do protec-
tionists never point TO Italy Us
an illustration Of how excessive
tariff rates protect" the com,
mon people?
Italy is one of the most highly
pcotecttl co nitric; OF Europe.
1t is famous as country flow
ing with milk and honey"
Yet they never talk about It.
ally, do the upper revisionists.
While in Italy three years ago,
the writer learned at first h nd
some of the reasons why our pro-
tectionists never say. Look ut
Italy"
Italy puts heavy duties on both
agricultural and manufactured
imports. She pays her people
exceedingly low wages. She
charges them very high prices
for the necessaries of life. They
emigrate in large numbers.
To understand the situation
clearly we must go back to 1887.
About that time a violent revolu-
ton in the system of Italian Gus
toms was brought about. A
powerful political group of textile
manufacturers joined forces for
their own ends with q powerful
political group of large landown-
ers. Tariffs were heavily in
creased. But not on everything.
That powerful band of textile
manufacturers took good care
that lesser manufacturers, who
made articles needed in the tex
tile factories, were not enabled
to put up their prices.
Hand in hand with the power
full manufacturers the big land
owners came out for a slice of
the tariff pie. In order that
they should be sufficiently COM
pensated for being in politics,
the land owners had a heavy tax
placed on wheat. In italy it is
only the big landowners who
grow wheat. Three out of every
four landowners in Italy are
possessors of small properties.
cultivating fruit for wine. They
have to buy q considerable part
of the wheat they eat. So it
happened that where one large
wheat farmer got bigger profits.
three small fruit farmers got
hit. That is the way protection
invaribly works out. What is
one mans protection is another
mans poison.
Hank, however, this further
result of the Italian tax on wheat
Millions Of Italians never eat
wheat bread, except in cases of
illness or on special festivals.
They make bread maize. In
this and in other respects the
standard of living of the Italian
people is very low, because
prices are too high.
An enormous fiscal and pro-
tective tax was also put upon
sugar. The prices rose so high
that Italian farmers watched
their oranges. lemons, peaches.
and other products Of a warm
and generous sun rot on their
trees in order that the SO manu-
facturers of the sugar syndicate
might levy upon consumers n
yearly tribute"
Far and Way the chief Of the
Italian industries are silk Keeling
and silk throwing. These indus
tries have been seriously ham
pered by protection. And Italy
is the home of the silk worm.
One of the chief troubles Of It
ally is that the general rise in
prices has so greatly lessened
the purchasing power Of the
wages of the people that the
great mass of the small dealers
and the workingmen and women
suffer bitterly.
. 1t is calculated that while ten
Italians lose by protection, only
one stands any chance Of gain
ing. He does not always gain,
for the country does not pro-
gress. The interests Of italy arc
sacrificed to the one in ten.
In other words, excessive tar