HARD-HITTING TARIFF

Evening Star, Issue 18254, 19 April 1923, Page 4

HARD-HITTING TARIFF

DAILY LIFE AND DUTIES,

FREE BREAKFAST TABLE A MOCKERY. Tiie new United States Tariff Bill, the New York ‘ Evening Post' has said, “ wakes the free breakfast table a mockery,” and in ibis paper William 0. Scroggs, the economist, recently recounted “ the short and simple but somewhat inliniatc annals of a morning hour in tho life of a plain middle-class American consumer,” to “see how the tariff penetrates into the inner temple of his existence.” To quote from this story its amended by Mr Scroggs to fit the final form of the Senate Bill : “ His day begins when he is aroused by an alarm clock, and the new Tariff Bill raises (lie duty on this article 67per cent. His first act is to throw off tho bed covering, on which the duty has been increased 60 per cent. Ho jumps from his bed, on which the duty is advanced 133 per cent., and dons a summer bathrobe, with the duty up 60 per cent., and slippers, with the duty increased 33 per cent. “Ho walks over a Brussels carpet (duly up 100 per cent,) to close the window, the duty on the pane of which has been raised 33 per cent., and adjusts tho shade (duty up 2t) per cent.) and curtains (up 50 per rent.). Then lie enters the bathroom, stands before a mirror, on which tho duty has been raised 100 per cent., sets out his shaving slick, subject In an increase in duty of 67 per cent., his shaving brush (duty up 50 per cent.) and razor (up 100 per cent.), and begins his tonsorial operations. This done, he devotes his attention to the bath tub, on which the duty has been raised ICO per cent. Towels (with t ho duty up 60 per cent.), soap (up 67 per cent.), toothbrush and hair brush (up 30 per cent, each), and comb (up 67 per cent.) are next in demand.

“As our consumer dresses, it may bo noted that the now Bill increases the duty 60 per cent, on his underwear, 33 per cent, on his hose, 15 per cent, on his shirt and collar, 20 per cent, or more on his necktie, and 60 per cent, on his suit of clothes.

1 “Our consumer decides to discard Ins waistcoat, and transfers fountain pen (up 1100 per cent.), penknife (up 200 per emit.), ■ and lend pencil tup 80 [er cent,), from ; waistcoat pocket to coat pockets, picks up a new linen handkerchief (up 30 per cent.) from the dresser (up 153 per cent.), polishes Ids eyeglasses 'up 13 per cent.), and after giving his clothes a touch with a brush (up 57 per cent.), is ready for breakfast. “At the breakfast table our consumer 'spreads a napkin (duty up 15 per cent.) on his knees, and (urns on (lie current for his electric toaster, on which (lie duty has been advanced 160 per cent. Ho drinks water from a glass, on which the duty is 45 per cent, higher, and begins his breakfast with an apple (duty up £OO per cent.), baked with sugar (duty up 84 per cent.), in an aluminium dish (up 150 per cent.). <•

“ Tho duty is also advanced 27 per cent, on his chinawani. 20 per cent, on his table silverware, 200 per cent, on his oatmeal, and 225 per cent, on bis butter. Tho cream for his coffee lias been removed from the free list, and subjected to a duty of 221 cents a gallon, and his eggs also have been taken from the free list and made dutiable at 8 cents (4d) per dozen. The salt for bis eggs likewise comes off the freelist, and so do his bacon and the flour that goes into his bread. Even the duty on the salt-shaker gets a boost of 45 per cent. “ The only things on his table that have not been subjected to a higher tariff are his coffee and his drinking water.”— ‘Literary Digest.’