National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-15
AN OPEN LETTER
TO REPRESENTATIVE CARLISLE.

Hon. j. O. CARLISLE;
DEAR sfR-I have read with interest your recent
anti tariff speech, and, regarding you as one Of
the best opponents Of that subject respectfully
ask you to help me answer some questions Of
protective tariff noighbor Of mine. I do this tho
more freely because you assure US that farmers as
class suffer most from protective tariff, and be-
cause am myself practical farmer, and there
fore personally Interested in this discussion IL
true in fact that the duty upon imported articles
increases their cost to the amount of the duty inn
posed to the purchaser or consumer Upon this
subject there are opposing theories and arguments
maintained with equal vigor on either side; but
my neighbor insists that the true test
Is to BIO found in tho application of those
theories TO practical experience lie proposes 10
test them in that way, and thus demonstrate which
is the true theory. As steel rails are most FIRE.
quently referred to- he proposes To take them for
Illustration There are dozen or more sieel-rail
manufacturers In this country so that steel rails
have known and constant market price In New
York We viii, he says, suppose that to-day the
marKet price in New York is $50 per ton that
several cargoes arrive from England to-day for
sale, and are admitted free Of duty. The con-
signee goes upon the market TO sell, and he will
get the best price he obtain for them OF course
II there Is an active demand he will get the full
market rate n there is not he may have to hold
them or lake less He aska me 10 tell him what
will govern tho price the consgnecs can obtain for
these cargoes. VIII II not be wholly the condition
Of supply and demand in the city ofNew York? But
the consgnee sells utoday at the market price Of
Oper ton, and tomorrow the tariff law applies,
and other carYoes come 20 same oonsignee charged
with duty ofsay $50 per ton. He goes upon The
| market TO lind purchaser and fnds the market
price $50 per ton. VIII the consignee he asks add
the duty paid $50 per tom to the market price OF
$50 per ton, and thus put up the price to 500 per
ton or will he do with the other cargoes Tor
the best price he can obtain, and which with these
ns with the others will depend on the condition OF
| the market as 10 supply aud demand? Taking
these two illustrations, my friend asks If the duty
imposed on the second cargo affects the market
say to my friend the railroads. who want railroad
iron here viii not go TO New York and buy
by the market prico in that city, But wiii
s Nm fr shg5 orders 10 England and buy there,
FSyoia mSnu "a answers; Inc lnanuheturers Ia
interest as we are here and the telegraph keeps
them daily informed Of the market prices IN New
late the frelghts TO New York and expense Of sale
and doductng them, charge You the New York
market rates II there is any difference they viii
charge you more for the cargocs being in New
York. What advantage then wifi be gained by
sending the order 70 England rather than buying
count of the low price OF labor steel rails arc
made much cheaper there than they can be made
here, aud If there were no tarn would they not
| be sent here In competition with our manufac-
turer, and largely reduce the market price Of
rails1 Tbatwould dependupon circumstances my
friend replied, Manufacturers In England Will act
for their interests and II is for their interest TO
sell all they can make and get the highest prices
Iney can 60 IL is NOT Tor their Interest to lower
tue market anywhere, but TO keep II up rs long as
| they can sell what they make Ii the supply ex-
oeeds the demand hero or elsewhere the competi-
ton Will lower the price, and nothing else win,
unless there is combination of the strong to
| break down the weak with the object of rcniov-
ing competition in order to control the mark ct and
aiterward advance the price. We have IL merchant
| in our town who has done the same thing. lie
had monopoly In tho stove business for many
years and by selling ut high prices became rich.
| A rival store was opened which put down prices,
but the other Immediately reduced the prices oi
all his stock below cost. The citizens acting on
| the free trade doctrine of buying "where you
| can buy cheapest" OF course bought of the old
merchant The result was that the opposition store,
| having but small capital, wus bankrupted, and
| driven away. AS soon as this was done the old
merchant put up his prices even higher than be-
| This occurs in small way III all kinds of bust
ness. and 1t is in this way and with this object
that free trade lowers the markets here In attclea
we manufacture, English manufacturers long es-
| tabished and fosered by tho government have
| accumulnt ted large capital and by selling for q
time at a loss can break down rivals in other coun-
tries OF smaller capital and In doing this as baS
been proved they have been aided by subsldies
| from The British government. By this means they
nave, III our past experiments in free trade broken
| down in their infancy our manufactures Of cottoi
| fabrics, and OF iron, and of suit and of woolen
| goods, and which were again revived under pro!
teetiye tariff and in every instance, after crush,
ing our factories, prices went up higher than be
| fore. Do you think IL wigo to try these experi<
| ments ngain2 As you are better Informed lbap
myself Mr.. Carlisle, will you please answer thesd
| questions? i, IT, ii,
| WASHINGTON, April TO- 1882