comparatively a few use the imported articles, millions of our people,
who never used and never saw any of the foreign products, purchase and
use things of the same kind made in this country, and pay therefor
nearly or quite the same enhanced price which the duty adds to the
imported articles. Those who buy imports pay the duty charged thereon
into the public Treasury, but the great majority of our citizens,
who buy domestic articles of the same class, pay a sum at least
approximately equal to this duty to the home manufacturer. This
reference to the operation of our tariff laws is not made by way of
instruction, but in order that we may be constantly reminded of the
manner in which they impose a burden upon those who consume domestic
products as well as those who consume imported articles, and thus create
a tax upon all our people.

It is not proposed to entirely relieve the country of this taxation.
It must be extensively continued as the source of the Government's
income; and in a readjustment of our tariff the interests of American
labor engaged in manufacture should be carefully considered, as well
as the preservation of our manufacturers. It may be called protection
or by any other name, but relief from the hardships and dangers of
our present tariff laws should be devised with especial precaution
against imperiling the existence of our manufacturing interests. But
this existence should not mean a condition which, without regard
to the public welfare or a national exigency, must always insure the
realization of immense profits instead of moderately profitable returns.
As the volume and diversity of our national activities increase, new
recruits are added to those who desire a continuation of the advantages
which they conceive the present system of tariff taxation directly
affords them. So stubbornly have all efforts to reform the present
condition been resisted by those of our fellow-citizens thus engaged
that they can hardly complain of the suspicion, entertained to a certain
extent, that there exists an organized combination all along the line to
maintain their advantage.

We are in the midst of centennial celebrations, and with becoming pride
we rejoice in American skill and ingenuity, in American energy and
enterprise, and in the wonderful natural advantages and resources
developed by a century's national growth. Yet when an attempt is made to
justify a scheme which permits a tax to be laid upon every consum