The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-25
PRESS COMMENT
That Gold Brick

Those who voted Tor the emergency
tariff bill were agents for the sale of
gold brick to the farmers, for the bill
was of no more value than the gold
brick that occasionally catches VIC
tim. The bill, now that it has been
enacted in the house, will go to the
senate where it will be passed but not
without debate. When it gets on the
statute books it will not add a dollar
to the price the farmers will receive for
their products and 1t may not result
in any greater cost to the consumer
for these products. If so 1t will do
no harm beyond giving the farmer
hope that will not be realized, and in
stead of saying "the farmer" we should
have said few farmers for not many
of them will be deceived.
1t may result in greater cost to the
consumer of agricultural products but
IL 1t does the beneficiaries of higher
prices will be the spectators and mid
dlemen who will not be too numerous
to combine for the purpose of holding
up prices.
But If the representatives who voted
for this bill do not vote to make the
farmers pay too high a price for the
protection that was in pretense given
them they will not be guilty of any
worse offense than helping to gull the
gullible. There is no doubt of the fact
that the farmers are as much entitled
to protection as the manufacturers are
the only trouble being that the law,
however written, can't give protection
to the millions owning products that
are more than sufficient to supply the
demand of the country. A product that
is heavily exported cannot be protect
ed unless 1t Is controlled by combina-
ton.
The farmers are as much entitled to
protection as any class and they are
entitled to as much protection as any
other class As we recollect 1t the
emergency tariff bill did not impose
any duty higher than twenty per cent.
Now If the men who voted for it will
not support any duty higher than
twenty per cent written in the interest
of the manufacturers they will do the
consumer. which is only another name
for the people. distinct service. For
in return for twenty per cent duties
on agricultural products the republi-
cans will demand fifty and eighty and
one hundred per cent duties on manu-
featured products. They used this
emergency tariff as an entering wedge
to split off as much of the opposition
to protection as was possible but If
they do not succeed in splitting off
opposition that win consents to a great
| err degree of protection than twenty
per cent on manufactured products
they will find that they also have
bought a gold brick.-Times- Union.
The Unjustness of the "Crive"-
Accepting the risk of being been
discussed to a plus degree, The Gazette
will once more denounce the custom
OF having drives" for any object, as
a method of securing funds which is
wholly illogical and entirely unfair to
the general public. If any object is
to be financed by the public it should
derive its support from all the people
not from a portion of them; and in
this manner the sum exacted from each
person is but a trifle.
To illustrate this point there need
be cited but one case-that of an in
stitution in Jacksonville which caters
for good in all portions of the state.
There was a direful need of fifty thou
sand dollars-and there went out APP
peals to al sections of Florida for a
period of liberality. There were those
in the state who contributed sums
largely above a thousand dollars; and
all along down the line We're cash do
nations sought with the result that in
sums from one hundred dollars down
to one dollar were the contributions
secured. With 100000 people in the
state, and with half of them taxpay-
ers, it would have been necessary that
each dig up but a dime to have the
required sum. Had there been a de-
sire upon the part of the administra-
ton to aid this institution it would
have meant that each person would
be plunged into debt" to the full ex-
tent of ten cents-and the cost and
trouble of making the drive" would
have been eliminated.
The budget system should be in &C.
tive operation in every city and in
every county in Florida. The budget
should be so calculated that whara =