Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1888 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

paid contribution to the pine-land barons for the privilege of building a house to shelter his family and barns for his grain and stock. There never was a more indefensible duty than that imposed upon lumber; it operates as a bounty for the speedy destruction of Michigan forests, and the payment of the bounty must be shared in by every man woo makes use of a pine stick or board for any purpose of comfort or industry. A few men, by means of the lumber duty, become rapidly enormously rich; that is to say, they are enabled to add to profits that would otherwise be very large a further sum equal to the duty which the Government imposes for their benefit. And whoever has observed the run of politics in Michigan of late can not fail to have noticed how these very rich men, who have little besides their wealth to give them importance, aspire to and find means of obtaining the chief political positions. For the lumber tax there is not even the excuse that it benefits American labor; for the Michigan woods and saw-mills are full of Canadian workmen, who come for the busy season, and bear away their earnings to spend elsewhere. If the taking off the duty were to result in importations of lumber from Canada it would be all the better for Michigan, not only because the price of lumber would be brought to more reasonable figures, but because the forests of Michigan, which constitute a large part of its natural wealth, would be dealt with more prudently and with more regard for the future. The motto with the lumberman now is, “Let me be quickly rich,” and he leaves behind him desolation. But the war tariff, which has been suffered to exist so long after the need had ceased, is a fraud in every aspect in which it may be viewed. It is amusing that the people of Michigan can look upon it as a scheme for the protection of industry. There are some interests in Michigan which are benefited by it, but they are not numerous, and do not embrace large numbers of persons. All small industries are oppressed by the tariff. The tax which tho small manufacturer or mechanic pays upon the material he works up is in a great many cases sufficient to render profit impossible. I have under my eye at this moment the following illustration of the working of “protection to American industry.” Fifteen years ago five neighbors put $20,000 each into the manufacture of certain tools. They were tools of a kind never imported, and the tariff could be to them of no benefit. The chief materials required were wood, iron, and other metals, and the working them up required labor of unusual skill. For ten years, though they kept steadily at work with a large force, they made nothing. Since then they have been enabled by their earnings to increase their piant considerably, though they have paid no dividend. If these men could have been relieved from the payment of any tax “for the protection of American industry, ” and at the saine time could have sold their tools at the price they actually received, they might easily have taken in annual dividends of ten per cent, on their investment. What is trhe of them is true of all the small industries of the country. They bear the burden of protection while others reap the profits. The interests which, if any do, need protection are interests which existing tariff oppresses. A Citizen of Michigan.