New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-29
A FREE TRADERs CHOICE.
A CONSUMER OPPOSES A CHANGE OF
TARIFF.


wooLLEN CLOTHES FOR AN ARMY OF 100000.
TO the Edltor OF The Trtbune
SIR: hear our sO-caed representatives at Wash
ington saying The consumer wants cheaper goods"
Very true, but what DO they meant Goods cheaper
here than elsewhere, or cheaper now than beforei
Do they mean cheaper in dollars, no matter what
the dollars may be WORTH cheaper in days lpbor.
no matter whether the abOrer starves cheaper In
the long run and ali elements of cost considered!
This last is what the consumer wants Tie does
not care what other people pay for goods and so 10
not anxious to get them cheaper than anybody in
France or in China He does not care what his grand
father paid for goods and is not distressed ab0ut
the price last year or fifty years ago. IL measure
will bring him goods cheaper than he could ges
them otherwise it helps the consumer Cheaper too.
in all elements of cost. for consumers here do not
think It wise get goods at half price, if in conse
quence they have to pay three times as much in
poor-rates as some of our English cousins do.
have shown that some industries have been bulls
ND behind defensive duties which have made goods
cheaper not merely for us but for all the world IL
is a beautiful law-we may reyerentlY say, dlynely
beautiful-that our honest labor in producing goods
tor our own needs, tends to cheaper like products
for all humanity. At times, in spite OF that ten
dency elsewhere, the goods can be made still cheaper
here so that we can and do export part. There no
consumers from our new industry But at times the
price elsewhere falls as much 1t does here. Then
men are apt to say, "We could get these goods
cheaper than we do now, if we made none and had
no duties"
In the whole range of tariff discussion, do not
know Of sophism by which more minds have been
deceived. The disposition seems almost Irresistible
TO assume that prices elsewhere would be as low as
they are now If this country produced no part OF ths
worlds supply. Yet we have seen that when TINS
country was obliged TO buy abroad only one sixth
of its supply Of steel rails that demand sufced to
raise the price in England from G52 in July, 1879,
to slola IN February, 1850. The same principle APP
rs in every case, where the consumption III thus
country is large enough to affect the markets OF ths
world and under the operation of protective duties.
has come to be supplied mainly by domestic IN
dustry In such cases. the present foreign prices are
lower because of American production and would
be far higher if we should decide 10 supply our
needs abroad.
In 1860 we imported nearly one third OF the
woollen goods used IN this country. Now we import
little more than bne tenth. The imports exclusive
of clothing and the home product according to the
census compare thus
s 5ssGS sssgI IssiS
Total supply .......... slIs,67 SOL s299 oS746o
II the manufacture had not grown, could We now
buy over 5000 600 900 worth of woollens. without
raisin. prices abroadY Or could We now buy one
third of the quantity consumed, as we did In lS6o,
without paying high prices Few realze now
largely this industry has grown of late. In 1873
we imported 4.797,557 yards Of carpet; IN 1888
only 5S7, 500 yards. No wonder prices abroad arc
low. and yet, of qualities generally used Ole can
buy about as cheaply here as in England. But WHAT
would be the English price If We had TO import Iio
quantity manufactured in the census year 3''ooo''
500 wards. worth S3l 100, s02f The hosiery made
here was worth 500. 1857, 227, but what would 10
have cost to buy the same quantity abroad in9teIa
of S46S 81 worth actually imported An earnest
seeker for truth bought in England par oi h'o-
norpd blankets for ~ 45 and iouho tu1' WV oHuo
weiobt and quality made here would cost TOW
p,,t would the English price have Decu the same II
,,,o nod tried TO buy there the 1,OS3,61 pairs OF
blankets made'here nilsson To-day we consume
more wool in manufacture tban treat Ditlh'
What would be our prices, if the English had to buy
here ouantityOf goods as great rs we now produce
or even one third of that quantityf Striking As are
the figures above given, they dc not represent tho
present development of the manufacture; III lsoo
we consumed 81 900 900 pounds Of wool; in 1850,
DOG OOC 600 pounds; and in 1888 the clip ana M
ports amounted to 1893 997,304 pounds. But inc
British consumption last year was only 3iO'OOo'OVV
pounds against 350,O0O,OOO pounds ten years ago.
la tho light Of these facts, cannot doubt Una.
foreign prices. now depressed by the withdrawals
great demand from this country, and yet but iltV'e
lower than prices here wouId be greatly advances
Il the enormous consumption of this people had "
be supplied by foreign mills. We import ten'n =,
our supply. equivalent to clothing Tor o'oUV,VVv
people. If we imported only third as IN looo' |"
would he equivalent TO clothing lS,ooo'ooo mO,s
from foreign mills. Those who remember the ei'ao.
| tlg Nl
eouip an army of only 500 600 will be very g'sa
that SO 600 COG Of consumers not obliged 10 0'A
abroad for third OF their woollen goods. EpA'
| Mar York March ~, 1854.