The American import houses are furious with the proposed new
Tariff, and are besieging the Senate with evidence as to its ruinous effects. The Senate listens, and seems to be a little moved by the argument that if tariffs are heavy Trusts will be created to monopolise protected articles. Some com- promise, therefore, may be made ; and it is wonderful to see how completely, under a democratic Government, the interest of the importer, who is one, outweighs that of the consumer, who is a thousand. The idea appears to be immovable, even with the consumer, that the object of manufacture is not to supply needed articles, but to make as much money as possible, and that anything which interferes with that is injurious. It is curious to remember that, under the old despotisms, and in existing Asiatic States, opinion moves in exactly the contrary direction, and men ask their Governments to prevent the export of food but leave imports untaxed. An Indian or Chinese ruling America would abolish the tariff, but put an export duty of 10s. a quarter on wheat and maize and rice. The world, we are told, can learn anything ; but it certainly does not succeed in learning arithmetic.
