The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-15

In discussing the question aS 10 "nctheL
the tariff, in order to afford protection to
home industries, must result in keeping
foreign goods out, the Union says:
s.By and by, there is hope to believe
The ARGUS win see that the point whether
the foreigners make profit on the
goods they sell in our market has nothing
to do with the question, and that the pro-
lection which requires tariff which obilg-
es foreign goods to be sold at W, while the
domestic goods fill the market at 20, is
protection run mad"
We confess we do not. There is no
doubt that foreigners are that class of
idiots who are so DESTROYS of putting their
goods on the American market that they
are willing to do so at a loss, and that the
pleasure they take in supplying this coun-
try with manufactured articles is of itself
full and sufficient reward for the loss to the
pocket book; but even then it would seem
that the question of profit and loss would
figure.
There are two kinds of COM
petition; competition in price
and competition in regard tosthe compare
tive merit of the article; although in this
second class the price of the article figures.
II A and B have the same article for sale
and the goods of each are equally well
made, if A can sell his cheaper than B, he
takes the trade. In the second class, if
AS goods are better than BIS, but he sells
them at higher price; each will take
trade which corresponds to the demaud for
good or poor article.
Now, in regard to foreign goods sold in
this market, if the goods are of the same
grade as American, they are only sold
when they can be at a profit, that is o
matter of course. No foreigner is sending
goods to this country unless he can make q
profit on them, nor is any importer bring
ing them here except for that reason. The
tariff is the guage as TO whether or not
that profit is possible. If it costs four dol
lars to land an article in New York and
the tariff on that article is two dollars, the
American manufacturers can charge FIVE
dollars and ninety nine cents for the same
thing and there win be no foreign goods
imported, because they cannot under.th
tariff compete with the American and sell
their goods at a profit. That tariff is pro-
lection to the American manufacturer, be-
causeit is high enough to keep out the for
eign goods; but inasmuch as it does keep
out the foreign goods, no revenue Is de
rived through it for the state. On the
other hand If it scosts four dollars TO land
the foreign articles in New York and
the tariff is one dollar, while II
costs the American manufacturer five dol=
lars and one cent to place the same thing
on the New York market, then could the
foreigner sell his goods in a competitive
market and yet make the same profit
which the American does. There we would
have revenue for goods would be impor-
ted, but the protection to the home manu-
facturer would cease, because the tariff
would not be high enough to prevent the
foreigner to compete with him. These
are the reasons which impels as to say
that a tariff which contemplates at the
same time revenue and protection is an eco
nomic impossibility The Union uses the
terms 'ruinous competition What diff
ference does it make whether a man I'M
dersells you five cents or five dollars? II
you cannot meet his figures and make a
profit you will have to succumb just the
same in one case or the other.
As far as our present tariff is con
cerned it is protective one, the Union
to the contrary Notwithstanding
Take our imports, I'VE will venture the as
sertion that not one article IS imported
and consequently not one cent of revenue
raised, except in the case either OF
goods which we do not manufacture in
this country, or else of goods which are
made better in other countries than here,
and purchasers are willing to pay the in.
creased price for the sake of getting bet
ter article. Take cotton goods which we
manufacture as good as England, not 9
yard of foreign make is sold in this coun
try Steel rails, not ton comes ovel
here except at times when the price OF
American ones gets up SO high tina
they can be imported cheaper. In every
instance our present tariff is {
protective one, and unless the Republican
party is put out of power it win continu'
such.
This yielding of revenue to protec tiol
has another effect. It places double tai
upon the farmer, the working man, tn
professional man-everybody but the man
ufacturer. It taxes them by making then
pay an increased price for. necessaries;
tax which it gives as bonus to the manu-
facturer: and by decreasing the revenu
derived from importations, it makes TIL
sum to be raised by other means for th
support of the Government larger, most Q
which increased sum comes out of tn
farmer and the others. They pay double
once to the mapafacturer in the hight
price for his goods, and secondly, to ii
State to make good the loss, which it ha
on account of the decreased revenue. TIL
whole of the matter is that the countr
win have to choose between tariff fl
revenue only and a tariff for protectie
only; there is no middle ground. ssPr
lection run mad the Union calls it, q stat
nent we willingly assent to.
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