Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1912 — TAXING COAT OFF POOR MAN’S BACK [ARTICLE]

TAXING COAT OFF POOR MAN’S BACK

Consrete Illustrations of What Proieciive Tariff Really Means. CAUSE WORKERS TO THINK. Iniquities of the Payne-Aldrich Act, Taft’s “Best Law Ever,” Strikingly Told In Figures. Concrete examples of how a protective tariff operates are causing the workingman, the "poor man.” to do a lot of thinking nowadays. He is beginning to understand whether it is not about time to eall a bait on the Republican practice of taxing the coat off his back and threatening him with the j loss of his shirt and his socks if he does not submit. All through the present tariff law, ; passed by a Republican congress and indorsed by a Republican president as THE BEST TARIFF BILL EVER PASSED, are to be fouiid discrimina'tions. the higher duty on the cheaper article, the lower dury on the dearer arti Je, thus placing on the shoulders of those least able to bear it the greater burden of the protective system Here are illustrations: The cheapest wool blankets bear a duty of 1da.42 per cent: the dearest, ■ 1042*5 percaiL . . . Flannels, not more than 40 cents a pound, are taxed- at 143 07 per cent; over 70 cents a pound. To2>7 per cent. Wool plushes., cheapest. 141.75 per cent; dearesL 95.33 per cent Knit fabrics, cheapest. 141 per cent; dearest, 952*3 per eent. Stockings, worth from $1 to $1.50 a dozen. 76.37 per cent; from $2 to $3, 50 per cent. Hats and bonnets, worth not over $5 a dozen, 62 per cent; over S2O a dozen. 35 per cent. Carpets, highest priced. 50 per cent; that used for mats and rugs. 126.88 per cent. Women’s gloves, uniined, 49 per cent; lined. 34 per cent; longest gloves, uniined. 42 per cent; lined. 29 per cent. Men's gloves, worth Jess than $3 a dozen. <>*.2B per cent; costliest gloves, 14.45 per cent; leather, nnlined, 44.58 per cent; lined. 29.50 per cent Buckles, cheapest. 77.48 per cent; dearest. 2033 per cent. Uncut diamonds bear a 10 per cent duty; imitation diamonds. 20 per cent The humble firecracker bears a 97-02 per cent duty, while elaborate fireworks bear but 70 per cent. Matting, smaller and cheaper grades, 43 per cent; costlier. 24 per cent Watch movements, seven jewels. 66-G2 per cent: 11 jewels. 40.41 per cent; 17 jewels, 34.45 percent Underwear, cheapest 562*0 per cent; dearest 50 per cent Dress goods of wool, cheapest. 105.42 per cent; dearest. 94.13 per cent Velvets, cheapest 105.22 per cent; dearest 49.55 per cent Silk handkerchiefs, cheapest, 77.44 per cent; dearest. 50 per cent. Scissors, wqrth 50 cents a dozen, 52.21 per cent; worth $1.75 a dozen. 46 per cent Table knives, fancy grades. 57.40 per cent; bone handled. 69.43 per cent Butcher knives, best grades. 52.10 per cent; cheapest grades. 93.55 per cent Files, smallest 81.29 per cent long est 36.81 per cent. Shotguns, worth from $5 to $lO, 47.67 per cent; worth over $lO. 45.46 per cent These are only a part of the discriminations, gleaned from a swift conning of some of the schedules. Re duced to simplest terms, they mean that the poor man is taxed higher than the rich man.