The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-01-30
CHLN-GHIN CONES WITH FIG URES
THAT WORTLTE.
To the Editor Of The MOrristOwn aAzet.o

To the Editor Of The Morristown Gazette
The tariff article of your correspon-
dent ia THE GAZETTE of the 10th inst.
is very satisfactory 1t shows conclu.
sively that he is seeking for light, and
that its glimmerings begin to reach
him. When he denounces free trade
as folly he takes long step toward the
right; he becomes as good protectionis:
in theory as / am. We only differ as TO
! the amount necessary. He admits that
it is right when he says that under his
new scheme duties should be so laid as
TO protect the minor, weaker industries.
Those that cannot be established or
cannot live when established without
protection, should have it. We pro-
tectionist ask no more; but we claim
that none Of our leading industries can
meet foreign competition without.a ia
riff. unless, as was said in an article a
few weeks since, our manufacturers can
procure their labor and raw materials rs
cheaply as their competitors. Hereyour
correspondent makes a mistake in as
Stunning that they can now meet this
competition, In support, of this falla-
cious idea he cites the fact that we do
to some extent export our goods to, for
eign manufacturing nations. Let us ex-
anime the facts he gives with the light
that additional export figures will throw
upon them. No words will be necessary
to give force to them.
First, take the matter of cutlery,
which he boasts we sell in Birmingham.
During the fiscal year 1888 we exported
all kinds to the value of $102, 100, of
which England took SO, 101; during the
same period we imported cutlery to the
amount of 81, l13, 665, of which England
sent 81 1929, 100. In 1880 our manufac-
turers turned out less than twelve mil
lion dollars worth of product. So it seems
that, with our heavy duty, the old world
manages to supply more than one-slxth
of our demand. Ne thinking man will
question what the result would be with
the tariff materially lowered or done
away with. Take steel rails: We send
them away to the value of SIC, 1856, o
which England and other manufactur-
ing countries do not take dollars
worth, but of them we purchased to the
amount of $3, 67S, 1914, all but $40C, 900
of which came from England. With
the tariff as ii stands she makes for
midable competitor for our own market
In wooden goods we export 1856, 1872
worth, while we buy abroad enough tn
amount to $45, 1872, 800, of which Eng
land furnishes four-ffths. In this con-
nection, take the single item of carpets:
we send abroad little over nine thous
and dollars werth, and buy from foreign
makers to the value of over a million.
These are few facts taken from the
last report on Commerce and Navigaa
tiOn, issued recently by the Treasury
Department, and they should be care
fully studied whenever a revenue refor-
mer talks OF protection being unneces-
sary for our manufacturers.
A word as to our nail mills which are
temporarily closed from over-produc-
ton. Your correspondent cites this a.
an evidence that for them protection is
not needed. If not, and they can sell
as cheaply as foreign makers, why don't
they expert this surplus and sell it in
foreign markets which ara not glutted !?
They can't do it. England undersells
them there, and would in our own mar
ket but for the duty. Without 1t. tl.,ev
would all be closed indeanitelJ instead
of for few weeks.
A careful study of these statistics will
convines any SSne except thesrist that
protection still protects. CHIN-CHIN.