The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-17
VALUE OF COMMERCIAL FREE
DON.

AS the free grass issue becomes the
most important in the political econ
omy of Texas, so does the tariff issue
remain the most important now af-
fecting the general prosperity OF the
Union. The question OF interchange
is the key to the situation. To main
tain financial integrity one must buy
less than he sells, and what applies to
the individual is applicable TO the
country. A people, who do not sell
to other people, must live alone on
home resources, anil gain nothing
from the outside world. This is the
condition of the United States; we
deny ourselves the profits to be de-
rived from foreign trade, because OF a
tax imposed for special instead OF gen
eral good. Protectionists ask us
to look to France and Germany for
evidence of the wisdom Of protection
but they fail to place causes in their
true light. These countries admit
free OF duty the following raw ma
terials: Hemp, flax, jute, tow, wool,
iron ore, copper ore, dyestuffs, vegeta-
bles, gums, ETC., glass, stones, clay,
ETC., chemicals and coal. On these ar
ticles the United States imposes i'm
port duties running from 80 to 65 per
cent. ad valorem. The duty on cop
per is 500 ton, on coal 20 cents ton,
and on iron ore 70 cents ton. Ger
many has rich mines, and sheep-rais-
ing is largely engaged in; but Ger
many has too much wisdom to tax
ores or wool. Belgium has rich mines,
but admits coal and ores free of duty.
The Netherlands pursue the same
course. Even Canada admits free Of
duty the materials previously named,
excepting coal. The United States
alone obstructs profitable manu-
featuring by taxing raw materials.
statistics go to show the result Of pol.
icles in different countries. Exports
of manufactures are shown to present
the following comparisons in exports:
Germany, $284,OOO,OOO, or 1851 per
capita of population; France, $780,
100000, or SAT- per capita; the Meth
erlands, $49,2000O0, or $12.S0 per
head: the United States, $44 100000,
making Il per capita export of only SO
cents. Here, then. is the result of all
these years of protection for infant
industries. Germany exports seven
times as much as the United States,
France over five times as much, the
Netherlands fourteen times as much.
Besides this, the United States are
importing, in manufactured goods,
twice as much per head as France and
four times as much as Germany. The
Importance of the duty on raw ma
terials is apparent. In agricultural
| implements the material amounts to
81 per cent of the entire cost, in cut
lery to 81 per cent, in machinery to &C
per cent, in the iron and steel indus
tries to 70 per cent. This is fair proof
that it is the cost of the raw material
not the cost of labor, which prevents
the United States from holding thiel
own with foreign manufactures
England is a free trade country
imposing import duties on only few
Injuries, such as tobacco, spirits
wines. tea, cocoa, coffee, silver plate
and few other unimportant articles
and the result Is that the exports il
manufactures amount to $804, 100000
OF $22 81. Commerce, then, it may b.
seen, is regulated by the freedom will
which country exchanges its prod
ucts for those of other countries
The value of commercial freedom
seen to correspond to the restriction
placed on trade by the false policy o
taxing people for the benefit of me
| pOnO1ips