Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-12
NATIONAL PROBLEMS.
ARTICLE III.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF-THE
ONLY TRUE POLICY.
Tho United states tho strongest Nation in
the WORLDS Market wond. rfuI De-
volopment OF Other Countries.
ny PROF. W. 6. SUMNER.
copyrighted, 1886

worlds market as producers and sellers
OF the things which are OF highest and
most universal demand. They offer cot
ton, the raw material of widest consump-
ton and highest necessity for clothing.
They offer wheat and corn, the great sta
pies of food and also provisions and
meat, the next great food requirement.
and one of high demand by prosperou.
societies. They ,iffer tobacco, which ia
the commonest and most widely used
luxury OF our time, anu one for which the
demand is intense where the use OF il has
been adopted. They offer petroleum,
which is the lighting material in most
universal use over the earth.
1t follows from this state Of facts that
the Americans hold the strongest position
possible in the worlds market. They are
on the strong side OF the market They
offer things of the highest necessity to
others, and demand in exchange things of
far less mperious necessity. The party
to an exchange who holds this position
can always win the greater share of the
gain and avoid the greater share Of the
expenses OF the exchange.
But whenever men hold any such com
handing advantage on earth the question
always is, what will they do with it?
The Americans have thought it wise to
load up the industries which have control
OF the worlds market with lot of do
nestle parasites. Undoubtedly they can
cary the parasites without being de-
euoyed. An economic unit US bug as the
United States could even be entirely iso-
lated from the rest of the world and find
inside of itself variety of resources and a
range OF industrial organization, wide
enough to sustain complete civilization.
would be like a little planet all alone in
the solar system. We have had sages
and philosophers who have preached to
us the wisdom of doing just this thing.
All that Is necessary to accomplish it is
to create parasites enough and. make the
expense of sustaining them great enough
to use up all the advantage which the
strong Industries enjoy in the worlds
market. Then the latter will have to re.
tire from the worlds market and the
thing is done
The Americans have also thought it
reasonable and proper, in the meantime,
before they leave the worlds market en-
tirely, to assume Il peculiar attitude to
the people with whom they deal In it..
They offer things in the market which the
others must have, but refuse TO take in
exchange what the others produce and
offer IN exchange. II the Americans offer
their products cheaper than the same can
be obtained elsewhere, they can undoubt-
eddy hold the market. If they then turn
the cold shoulder ON The buyer and force
him 10 trouble and inconvenience TO find
some OF the limited range of commodities
which they viii take ia exchange, he can
not help himself. He must make the best
OF 1t. In this view OF the matter, the
Americans have sacrificed their command
lug advantage in the market for the sake
OF an arrogant and offensive attitude
III 1t. Nothing could well he further
from the American character, and
no such attitude has ever been conscious
ly or Intentionally adopted, but such is
the effect and appearance from the out
side, especially when we treat all repre-
sensations and circumstances with con
tempt and often seem TO act as if il was
an additional satisfaction to us TO know
that our policy is annoying TO others.
IN the Changes and chances OF the mod
ern world, however, 1t does not pay TO
De arrogant, no matter how great may be
ones advantages A monopoly Is never
SO weak us Just when it seems to be
strongest. 1t is Just when it is complete
That II begins to fall TO pieces. 1t NAV
perish by Internal discord or by external
revolt. In the present case, the nations
with whom we carry on exchanges have
waited and hoped for twenty years that
we would change our policy and enter
upon Tree and cordial relations with
thtm. We have not done so. The CON
sequence now is that they welcome any
chance TO supply themselves with our
products from any other source of supply.
especially one with which they can estlo-
llsh cordial and reciprocal relations.
NOW the fact Is that during these TWEEN
W years Il marvellous change has been
coming over the industry and commerce
OF lhe Slobei especially as regards the
llhes VI production IN which we have the
greatest interest. While our statesmen
unu manufacturers have been building
tals wonderful card house of congeries
% projected industries hanging on each
oener ana all living upon the industries
mnlcn employ the real strength OF the
country, the currents of the worlds in
uusIfy ana commerce have SO changed as
70 nuke the card house every day more
ana more unstable, and 10 offer ms
onances o. true aud solid industry which !
tied. l'' arc
Twenty years ago who would have
thought OF India aud Australia as com. |
peutors IN the wheat supply? 1t is eyi. |
dent that their Importance in that MONT
OF view is to go on Increasing with great .
rapidlty. The plans which are now on
loot or IN process of execution for open-
ing up Asia, Africa and Australia are snch
is must completely change the face of the
siope, industrially speaking, within the
lext generation. Every DEVELOPMENT az
new continent Will be competition with
Is N the way of producing food ana raw
Materials. Cotton, wheat, meat, tobacco
ma petroleum are Just the things which
WI oe produced in Asia, Africa. Austria
Ia and South America as those CONT.
tents are developed, AS far as sentin emit
ihters INTO the matter, we have done All
We could TO make the older nations
yhich have the large population ana need
ne 1000 ana raw materials, prefer to got
hem OF others than ourselves If they can
10 so on equal terms.
our protective system simply handl-
aps US 10 this competition so As to make IL
arder Tor US TO offer as good terms ms
liners The result of oil interferencs with
ne international exchanges OF the United
tates is that we send 60 per cent. of ali
ur imports to her. The goods which
ne makes, and which we will NO. 80.