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The Commoner.
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TARIFF KATES STILL CLIMBING
Bolow will bo found a Washington dispatch
of April 19 to tho effect that the tariff bill re
ported by tho sonato committeo adds another
boost to tho tariff rates. Tho Payne bill as It
was reported to tho house raised the tariff 1.5 G
per cent; tho sonato bill goes tho houso one
hotter and makes tho increase 1.7 per cent.
The readers of Tho Commoner are respectfully
requested to bring these figures to tho attention
of thoso deluded republicans who thought that
tariff revision meant tariff reduction.
"Washington, April 3 9. On tho showing made
in tho detailed statement of tho senate finance
committee, issued this afternoon, the Aldrich
bill is a more heavily protective measure than
tho Dingley law. This statement classifies every
article of import as a "necessity" or "luxury."
Thus earthenware is classed as a "necessity"
and chinawaro as a "luxury." Firecrackers and
feathers are "luxuries," and furs and curled
hair aro "necessities."
This curious classification is carried into the
summaries on every schedule in the bill. The
committee finds that nearly 300 million dollars'
worth of "luxuries" wore imported in 1907 and
500 million of "necessities." The estimated
rovenuo from "luxuries," under the proposed
bill, is 155 million dollars to 183 million from
"necessities." The average tax on "luxuries"
is mado 55 Ms per cent, an increase of 3.3 por
cent above tho present rato. The average rate
on "nccossitlos" is 37.4 por cent, a decrease of
two-tonths of 1 per cent from the Dingley law.
Tho average rato of duty on all imports is
about 1.7 por cent moro than tho Dingley rate.
This moans that on the necessities of life the
downward revision is a fraction of 1 per cent
and oven this fraction is obtained by classing
as "luxuries," such articles as Axminster rugs
and china, which many persons in moderate
circumstances regard as necessities. On tho
metals schedule, tho prize revision schedule, the
decrease 1b just a trifle more than 1 per cent.
On linens, which were supposed to bo unchanged,
tho rate goes up 1 por cent on tho finance com
mittee's "necessities." Cotton "luxuries," which
includo table cloths and other articles of general
use, go up 10 per cent. Cotton "necessities"
aro cut only 2.7 por cent.
In addition Senator Aldrich estimates that the
change in tho basis of valuation will mean an
Increase of five million in tho rovenues, .which
means that certain schedules are raised though
tho duties remain unchanged. How Buch a bill
can bo proved to the country to be "real revi
sion" is puzzling many republicans especially
those from the middle west.
PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE
The Chicago Record-Herald prints in small
typo on an inside page, and close to tho ad
vertising, a little paragraph which reads as
follows:
"Haxloton Pa., March 22. Tho wages of the
laborers of tho mills of the Hazelton Sheet Steel
company were cut ten per cent today, and of
tho rollers twenty per cent. The laborers quit
and the rollers will meet tonight to act."
Before the election the same paper printed
the promises of prosperity under large head
lines and on tho front page.
OBEY THE LAW
The Houston (Texas) Post says: "Mr. Bryan
told an andienco at Decatur that if ho had to
pass a sentence upon a republican, he would
sentence him to habitation in this state Wo are
surprised at Mr. Bryan. Does he i ink that
wickedness and base depravity should be su
premely rewarded?" u
Well, you know the law is "do good to them
that hate you." And in this view a sentence
& term in TexaB 1b fulfillment. alienee
TJNWARRANTED
Mr. Bryant attention has at different times
been called to the use which has been made Sf
. his name by those representing the liauor in
terests. In a recent issue of the Sun nf QnH
field, Ohio, an advertisement appeare'd in Sitah
tho pictures of President Taft and Mr Bryan
were used. Under Mr. Bryan's nich.ro ST
statement in which the writer jmrponst ? q?0t5
s? asasssa
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irtlsoment above refered ta Mr. dSm"!"
himself a teetotaler and a believer in temper
ance. His vote upon the liauor question would
depend upon the conditions to bo met and ho
reserves tho right to decide these conditions
for himself. It is not fair, therefore, that any
one should attempt to speak for him and quote
him for or against any proposed action by a
state, county or city on tho liquor question.
Whenever Mr. Bryan feels it his duty to speak
or write upon tho question, he will do so, but
he resents the attempt on the part of the liquor
interests to commit him to their position.
WATCHES AND a IE TARIFF
Charles A. Keene, the New York watch dealer
who has been fighting the watch trust, makes
this interesting statement concerning watches
and tho tariff:
New York, April G, 1909. Editor The Com
moner: Tho Hon. Sereno B. Payne is certainly
endeavoring to supply tho missing link necessary
to make the watch trust one of the strongest
monopolies that ever existed In any country.
I have sent him a telegram today asking if he
really knew how much his bill proposed to raise
or lower the tariff on watch movements. Up
to date I have not received a reply. Thinking
that your readers may be interested in the
matter, I send you here the correct figures.
These figures are based on the very cheapest
watch movements made abroad which as -usual
strikes the pocket of tho workingman. As you
no doubt aro aware, the Wilson tariff on watch
movements was a straight 25 per cent ad va
lorem tariff which almost anybody could figure;
the Dingley tariff was an ad valorem and specific
combined which made it more difficult to figure
out; the present Payne bill provides for one that
nobody can figure out except an expert. This is
the real difference it makes and the figures be
low show the real difference in percentage it
makes:
Watch movements containing not more than
seven jewels: Wilson, 25 per cent; Dingley, 112
per cent; Payne, 175 per cent.
Watch movements containing more than seven
and not moro than eleven jewels: Wilson, 25
per cent; Dingley, 67 per cent; Payne, 106 per
cent.
Watch movements containing more than
eleven jewels and not more than 15 jewels:
Wilson, 25 per cent; Dingley, 86 per cent;
Payne, 142 per cent.
I hope you will make use of the above in
formation. CHARLES A. KEENE.
WHAT'S THE USE?
Terro Haute, Ind., April 7, 1909. Several
traveling men last evening were denouncing the
Payne hill increase on hosiery, gloves and toys.
They seemed to be nearly all republicans. The
Indianapolis News has a' cartoon showing trusts
gloating over children upon the price of toys.
My opinion was asked. I merely wrote at the
top of the cartoon: "What's the use? Dem
ocrat." "What's the use?" meant a whole lot in this
Instance. It meant that such people had an
opportunity to elect Mr. Bryan president and to
elect a democratic congress. I put it up to the
republicans in this way. "What's the use?"
means in effect: No matter how monstrous the
proposition advocated by the republican leaders
at the instance of tho trusts, the average re
publican will continue to vote the republican
ticket. We shall try to stand It if they can. We
have grown apathetic. Thoy should not ask us
for sympathy. In all such cases it would be
well for democrats to carry printed caTds. When
they squeal this card should be presented:
'What's the use? Democrat"
-F. T. L.
,"HOW WE GROW"
The Commoner recently printed the following:
Some idea of the way we grow is conveyed in
a letter written to the Philadelphia Public
Ledger by Charles N. Holmes of Chestnut Hill,
Mass.: It is an excellent plan occasionally to
study and compare the greatness and growth of
the United States of America. First. In 1800
7 ,nnUonnbered 53S,489; in 1909, 76,303,387;
in 1909, we approximate in all 100,000,000
&econd In 1800 we possessed 827,844 square
m es of territory; in 1900, 3,026,789 square
m es; in 1909, we possess 3,756 S84 square
?"e5-P Jhird, In 1350 we were worth about
$7135,780,000; in 1900, $88,517,306000; hi
nSXnAA0 Q orth approximately $120,000
000,000. Fourth, In 1800 our exports and im
ports of merchandise amounted to about $16-
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 16
000,000; in 1900, $2,244,000,000; in 1908, $3 -055,000,000.
Fifth, In 1850 we operated 9,021
miles of railways; in 1900, 104,262 miles; in
1907 a total of about 230,000 miles. Sixth, In
1800 we had only 903 postbfnces; in 1900 wo
had 76,688; in 1907, 82,663 postofflces.' "
Referring to the above Mr. J. A. Blanchard of
Jenksville, N. Y writes: "Mr. Charles N.
Holmes of Chestnut Hill, Mass., is not very ex
plicit as to 'how we grow,' etc. He tells how
much we are worth in 1850 and .how much in
1909 but he does not tell us how we grow in
periods. For instance from 1850 to 1860, be
fore the days of high tariff republicanism wo
increased 128 per cent; from "1860 to 1876, 84
per cent; 1870 to 1880, 40 per cent; 1880 to
1890, 55 per cent; 1890 to 1900, 45 per cent,
and the last or present decade, indicates an in
crease of only 37 per cent,- and this in the de
cade of highest tariff and tremendous (?) prosperity.
NEBRASKA TATCES NO BACKWARD STEP
M. B. Chase, an attorney of Marion, Ohioi
voices the Bentlment of democrats generally
when he writes:
"The clipping in The Commoner from tho
Springfield (Mass.) Republican, as to rejection,
by the Nebraska legislature of the Carnegie
pension hill, Is very mild. This may be the
best way to deal with such things, to sugarcoat
them. Our fathers did not do that way. They
were plain, blunt men, who loved their friends,
and exposed the perfidy and intrigues of their
enemies. A different rule seems now to obtain.
Are we too easy against wrong, and wrongdoers?
Do we need -more the spirit of the Master mani
fested when he scourged the defamers from the
holy temple?
"We have a Carnegie library building in our
city .(Marion, Ohio), of which I heard a man
remark the other day: "I have never been -within
its walls, and I never will be.' The building
to the eye looks beautiful, being of stone, cream
colored and blood red hrick. This man con
tinued his remarks as follows: 'Those Ted briclc
remind one of Homestead and tyranny, of blood
spilled there, of slavery endured there, of the
huts and hovels reared there for those rough,
lowly men who made Mr. Carnegie his fortune,
out of which he seeks, now to Tvorld-wide-fame
himself, 'by and through the sweat, deprivation,
struggle, poverty and blood of the low waged
laborers and their squalid families.' Legisla
tors of Nebraska, do you want any part or hand
in a' pension fund for any purpose, much more
to taint the honor of them who have given their
best strength and days in the service of your
great state in educating both the intellect and
morals of her youth? As for me and my house
I do not. I know that you do not, for you have
said so. Nebraska takes no backward step."
BUT THEY VOTED FOR IT
John F. Crowley, Bangor, Me., writes: "I
enclose a circular letter which is being sent out
by the wholesale furnishing dealers of Boston,
most of whom before the national election be
lieved in having the tariff revised by "its
friends" -the republican party. From the con
tents of this circular it would seem as if they
?OTLelieve that the so-called "friends or the
tariff are not to bo trusted and that the revi
sion is to be for the interests and benefit of the
trusts rather than for the benefit of the general
public. It Tvas too good a chance to let go hy.
?? lthel t0b Pasure in rubbing it in to
tbe different wholesalers who sent me circu
l8 J ey and the consumer are getting just
what they voted for and they ought not to put
up any kick, but they are certainly putting up
an awful howl and it sounds good to me. Per
haps they may get their eyes open before 1912.
The circular is an open acknowledgment that
the republican party is dishonest on the tariff
Po!ninA,5I1,dr,tliat, in thq hands Cannon,
JR ldri?h and Littauer the entire matter
will be handled so that the trusts won't suffer
fnnni?ei CinS?m mjlBt talce his medicine. It
is certainly rich."
WE'LL ALL BE SOCKLESS
An Atlantic City reader of the New York
hTtion- ma thiS UIt at republIcan tarIff leSisl
"Permit a free-trader to do justice to a de
parted American statesman. Jerry Simpson of
Kansas, ranks as the greatest thinker since
Bacon; for with the soul of a freeman and the In
stinct f a prophet, Jerry anticipated the logic
of facts and wore no socks."
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