OUR FISCAL POLICY AND ITS EFFECTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 654, 3 November 1909, Page 8

OUR FISCAL POLICY AND ITS EFFECTS.

. Sir,—You truly say,'inyour leader'of October 29,'; that' "there 'is little:real patriotism, in a .policy directed towards 'forcing the community to.apply >: its labour wostefully.' . It is<not.good business,:yet.that isUhe .object-of .'our-'Protec-tionisf:policyj" What'is called:"fostering,local industries'by means. of. a high-tariff means that we-are cbmpulsofily .divertin'g'tho money .Pf ;''the; country uitb:" unjprofitable industries. .The tendency of the population to'.crpwd- into* the. cities is ecnstantly,-deplored, 'yet the--teß-dehcy ~bf our fiscal jjolicy. is to 'tax - the' producers ;on the/land in 'order to support an urban -population at otherwise '■ unprofitable work. 1 .-A.high' rate of wages-'seems'to be the main object of ; Labour, -agitators.: They are oomparatiyely bblivipus to, the' high prices they have tp pay for their houses' and their goods brought.: about :, by Prbbction. :. , ' ' I-.;taie ..it we gainoiir living,, and pay_ the interest oh 6ur.d«btjthrough our exports. What do. thiese■ protected industries do to 'help us? Practically'nothing. What they-do do, is to clog:the profitable industries with the weight of'supEibrtjnz -them. 'Through ,6uoh' a-tariff as ..we have the working .inan, is : taxed from his 'house!t(j .his'boots./.'He/naturally , .'•agitates for' higher wagesi'then the protected manufacturer caUs.for.a higher. : ',tariff, p ,and: demands;a;higher. jlrice : for. i his'gbbds.''lf this 'goes./on all-around' the circle labour,, is no better. off! /but the development of" the natural, induetries of the country is; retarded. • .Hbiv much more,- friiit- : ful isould the money be in,'prpducing those ■ things which , we can , natyrally do' in exchaiige for/those we cannot?—l am, etc., . / , .'■/■■■ :■ : / ■ ;W. 1.-BIrICH/ ,' Martpn, 'October SO,, 1903. ■ ;. i ;. ; i '; ':: ; ; , '