THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 393 



cent. ; silks, 60 per cent. ; wool hats, 72 per cent. ; and 

 blankets 90 per cent. This list could be extended 

 almost indefinitely, but these instances are enough for 

 our purpose. By these infamous duties the American 

 manufacturer is enabled to keep his prices at an enor- 

 mous figure, and to pocket extortionate profits at the 

 expense of the entire people. 



Let us suppose that, without the duty, English blan- 

 kets could be sold in the United States for $5 a pair, 

 and that American blankets could be sold at the same 

 figure, with a fair profit to the manufacturer. The 

 tariff adds a duty of 90 per cent., or $4.50 to the 

 English article, and raises the price to $9.50 a pair. 

 The American manufacturer is thus enabled to advance 

 his price to $8.50, and still to undersell the English 

 manufacturer. The people are thus compelled to pay 

 $3.50 additional for every pair of American blankets 

 they purchase. No wonder our woollen and cotton 

 factors amass such immense fortunes. 



There are but two or three manufacturers of quinine 

 in the United States, but, as this medicine is the special 

 antidote to the most common disease of this country, 

 large quantities of quinine are used annually. The 

 bark from which the powder is made, is admitted free 

 of duty, but the powder itself must pay a duty of 50 

 per cent. The American manufacturer is thus " pro- 

 tected " to an ex'tent which enables him to demand 50 

 per cent, more for his quinine than he could obtain in a 

 free market, and the excess is a burdensome tax exacted 

 from the entire nation. The reader can easily form 

 an idea of the amount of the annual tribute paid 

 by the nation to the two or three manufacturers of 

 quinine. 



