The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-03-03
THE HOME MARKET FALLAOY
From tue New York Star. |

"Look,' say the monopoly advocates
To American producers, "hOw small is
this export trade which you are prom
ised the benefit of, il you abandon our
principles, in comparison with the
great home Market" and the more
bigoted laws restrict the opportunities
for selling surplus products, the more
glarimg becomes the contrast on which
The ultra protectionists rely. The
great fact TO which little consideration
is given is that the first producing
country ought to have control both of
its home markets and of purchasing
markets of countries that draw supplies
from it. There is no natural conflict
between the domestic and foreign
trades-the one should supplement- the
other; and whatever wealth we pro-
duce more than we use should go to
IN IKE headway for us in our competi
tIoL with the world.
Anything that cuts oil oar export
trade, prevents the collection OF a fair
price tor the 0verplu7 we sell to
strangers, reduces the quantity we can
deliver, Or increases the cost OF deliver
ing It's blow against the whole of our
trade. domestic as well aI foreign, be-
cause il decreases the advantage OF
production from the soil that is the
very lite OF our prosperity.
Our farmers increased by l,75O,00O
in the decade between 1870 and lSS0,
while the number of those engaged in
professional services grew TO the ex-
tent of | ,389 900, aud mechanics, miners
and manufacturing employees of all
kinds increased only by l,l20,00U. 1t
is quite certain that the number of fthose
directly Interested in protection who
were newly employed during that
period did not exceed 750, 900, 20 that
our farmers increased more than twice
as fast rs the customers protection
gave to them.
When the cry OF ''home market for
Americans" was first raised our sur
plus production WAS small But now
it is very large, and with its constant
growth increases the necessity Of our
being able To compete in the markets
to which we must ship. OF our wheat
crop one-thiru is sent out of the couu-
try; and il needs no elaborate argu-
ment to show that the failure to obtain
paying price for that one-third would
| involve widespread disaster to our
| agriculture. In considering wherein
relief from Il protective policy would
enable our grain producers to compete
| with the world on more favorable
terms, "Naumkeck" discusses the ill.,
| tiuemce OF the great protective trusts
| that increases the cost of farmers i'm
plements, clothing food and other sup
plies. The steel parts OF the plow, for
example, now cost l0t cents, although
| they were formerly sold tor ID cents.
| rhe makers Of thresherS and reapers
| have combination that raises the cost
! of their wares; so that, while tho price
of wheat has fallen by reason of in
| creased production III countries where
pauper Labor is employed, protection
| increases the coat OF farmers machinery
aud tools. But for protection those
trusts would not have the opportunity
to oppress, through which they add not
| only to the cost Of harvesting and grow
my grain, but also to the charges tor
| carry ing il 10 the sea, and to inland
| markets rs we'll
Indirectly, thc damage done to the
| farmer, in common with all American
consumers, is cXempliiied by the case
of he Sugar Trust, which keeps up the
price DS iliiiIitiS Itliiilil AT tlle eA pellSS
of the sugar grower mo less than The
| consumer. Labor suticr: 1T both ends
Of the line, while monopoly capital,
standing in the enter,dictates selling
price at one end and The buyinS figure
ut the other. Internationally, such Il
trust dictates its own terms 10 its wage
earners, 50 that at no point does Labor
receive aught but injury
Our contributor discusses the wool
question with courage and thorough
| ness. He shows that, as things now
| are. the raising ot wool is unprUiliabie,
| not by reason of inadequate protection,
bat because OF the pcculiaritics of soil
!nd climate ard tine effect Oi high tariff
in limiting the industry In tho buS!-
| ness of carpet WOODS IL ihr year 1887 =,
| we paid duties on imported product 10
| the amount ot 81 ,OUO,OnU tGr the pro
lection ~ home growers. who raised
crops ot tiiN staple worth only S640,-
900 The number of wooden mills in the
| country is diminishing. In 1870 there
were COZ, IN 1850. there were $50, and
| since that year the plants IN New Eng
lamh have beun decreased by - mills
! ani l$H acts ul machinery.