The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-10-28
Protection Increases Supply.


American protection destroys British mo-
nopoly. 1t enables home competition to bring
down foreign prices. 1t multiplies production,
and thus benefits us and all the world besides,
in SO fan as increased supply, with consequent
cheapness. can benefit mankind. In Russia
protection increased manufactures ITO per cent
from 1867 to lS79-the value of her manufac lures
at the latter date reaching S400 600, and ena-
ploying 100000 hands, This Increased nreaE 4es
ga not uecrease the product of Eng
land, nor of any other manufacturing nation
but added TO the general supply of the world
to meet the general demand. And so of Ger
many, France and the United States.
Theirs. the great French historian and states
man, addressing the Corps Legiszati6 in 1870.
and speaking of the protection and develop
ment of the cotton industry, said IA kilogram
OF cotton yarn was worth q francs in our war
days; after peace it was as high as IA francs.
We created q competition with England and it
fell to three francs. Every time on protect
national product you cause the price of the
domestic product to fall and you prevent mo-
nopoly $ If England were the only
country to produce certain articles could you
have them at the same price? Certainly no;
1t is competition, sustained by a just p1ut,
tion, which destroys foreign monopoly.
When the linen industry was desI royea in
France by the English production by power a
kilogram of thread worth seven francs.
We protected the linen industry in France.
This protection permitted v>l.petition; and
the French product competed the English
manufacturers to lower their prices to three
frames fifty centimes."
Under our protective tarin OF 1872 our iron
mills had begun large production Of railroad
iron, but as soon as the free trade taIf bill OF
1916 was passed. English railroad iron flooded
the country at $40 a ton-destroying this Amer
lean industry for the time and decreasing tie
supply of the world. succeeding thus ir breat-
ing down American competition the English
iron which was sold here between 1913 ana 1850
at SO was raisedto SIS per ton III 1850, and kept
at that price for years
In 1860 our cotton manuf actures were valued
| at $ll6. 000,090, but under protection they had
grown il 1889 to value Of 1892 773 $50. Previous
to 1859 we manufactured little or no silk. In
ls7ioar silk products were worth $685., l57,
and So, 4l0.463 in 1880. In 1860 we had only
%, sheep; in 1880 we had 10 S99 sheep,
producing 235.64S.S34 pounds Of wool. We make
$l66. 100000 in shoes year. Our manufactures,
by the last census, aggregated an annual value
of IS. 1863, 100000, mostly due to protection. What
would be the effect on prices of manufactures
generally, not only here, but all the world
over if protection had not developed Gstinu-
ltsten This immense increase IN supply: Of
| if free trade, or q "tariff for revenue only"
should cause the falling Off of this supply !?
! Mark-we are only considering protection as it
increases production and co,npetition,-not with
| respect to the many other ways in which it
| specially benefits home labor, capital, mate
! rial, &C. Our protected prod ucts, besides sup
| plying nine tents of all the wants of our fifty
| millions of people at home sends millions of
dollars worth abroad-and every dollars worth
| we produce, whether consumed here OF sent
abroad. adds that much to the supply of the
| world. to the benefits of all in the cheapening
| of prices and the prevention of monopoly here
| or elsewhere. Our foreign trade in 1880 aggre-
gated the immense of 81, 499, 90l, 900 IAN in
crease of $500 600, coo in ten years under proec-
| tion) without counting home transaction in
home products. We export vastly to Great
Britain and her colonies, to their great re-
| lief.
In 1851 we mined only 100000 tons of coal ;
| under protection we mined 90,0000D tons in
| isS2-adding that increased supply, not only
4 for ourselves, but to meet the worldwide de-
mand. In 1860 our iron mines yielded only $780,
900 tons Of ore; IN 1859, under protection and its
s'stimulus' they yielded 100000 tons. Our
Observation-Disclosures in 1860 were estimated at
IS 000 $50; in 1880 500 000000. In 1860 we i'm
ported cotton goods to the amount of 227 100000
yards but in 1881 we imported only q, 900, eco
yards and exported 10000 600 yards.
suppose our wonderful increase of produc-
ton in everything unaer the ''Stimulus'' of
protection had not occurred, Or were now de-
stroyed or lessened by free trade anti
protection? The reply is obvious: Our own
supply and the supply of the world would be
decreased our competition would not exist,
and prices would inevitably be higher under
the law OF supply and demand. AS it is, we
1 supply ourselves, we increase the supply fthe
world, we create a competition that otherwise
could not arise, we reduce prices here and
everywhere, we keep our money at home, we
export largely, and, besides, we have all the
other Incidental advantages of diversified in
dustry, developed resources. better wages and
practical independence in peace and war.
Some genius proposes to introduce paper
shirts. This might do for Japan, but
would prove a big thing" for the doctors
because rheumatism, ETC., would become
frequent If. however, people would KEEP
Salvation Oil convenient. paper shirts
might still be success. 1t costs only q
cents.
Il should like to box your ears, y SAX
the Chicago girl to an audacious Detroiter
n r.