Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 227, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1914 — Covering Up Weakness of Tariff Law' By Big War Tax. [ARTICLE]

Covering Up Weakness of Tariff Law' By Big War Tax.

Monticello Herald. “War Tax Measures in Hands of House” was the headline on this subject Tuesday morning. If the bill passes it will be the first war tax ever levied in this country in time of peace. Other countries have often been at war, but the only effect on this country was to stimulate industry and enhance American prosperity. Now it becomes necessary to levy an internal tax to raise a hundred million dollars. The pretext is that the war has caused a deficit in the government revenues from imports—a gauzy subterfuge when it is remembered that the deficit began long before the note of war was sounded. Up to July 1 of this year Europe was at peace, but the shrinkage in revenues at U. S. ports was already over $30,000,000, though imports had iincreased over $100,000,000 in the ten months preceding. In August, notwithstanding the war, the imports at the port of Boston exceeded the imports of August one year ago by more than $3,700,000 and yet the revenues derived from these imports fell short of the preceding August $682,000, showing that the deficit was due to the decreased rate of duties instead of a falling off in imports. Now the people are to be asked to make up these deficits from their own pockets urtder the guise of a war necessity in time of peace. Did anybody ever hear of such an experience in this country under a protective tariff law? And all this at a time when industry is protected and labor is out of employment by reason of the same foolhardy reduction of duties Which has brought about the deficit in government revenue*. j This Is enough to make voters realize that after all this country fares best under a protective tariff. And when they further consider the desperate competition American industries will have to face when the war in Etirope ia over, they will surely not wait till a presidential year to begin the work of averting the disaster whieh is Surely impending.