Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-07-18
PRICES UNDER A PROTECTIVE
TARIFF


TARIFF.
The attorneys for free trade, who seek
to create prejudice against the policy of
Protection by charging that it enhances
the cost to consumers, can best be met
by a comparison of prices of few arti-
cles in common use.
In 1860 salt. then on the free list, sold
to consumers at an average price of s.
per barrel. The tariff on salt IN barrels
is now IL cents per hundred pounds, Tor
say SS} cents per barrel, and the average
price is not more than half that of 1850.
AS salt has been made the subject of
special attack. it may be we'll to ascer-
tain just how much of the present selling
price goes TO the manufacturer, against
whom is sought to create prejudice. In
1887. at the works IN Michigan. salt sold
for 60 cents per barrel, and of this sum
20 cents was paid to the cooper for max.
ing the barrel. All between this price
and that paid by consumers went for
transportation and profits of mlddlemen.
The manufacture of plate glass was es-
tablished in 1866, when the foreign made
article sold for $3.50 per square foot.
The tariff on similar quality of glass is
now so cents per square foot, and the
price has steadily lowered until it is now
IS cents per square foot.
Pig iron in 1860 sold for SEATS per
ton. With tariff of $6.72 per ton 1t
now sells'for $1S.
Steel rails were first made here in 1867,
when the price was $3.50 per ton. The
tariff has been as high as $28 per ton,
and is now 81. Steel rails are now
quoted at $31, and have sometimes been
lower.
A favorite plea with free traders is
that with woods and woolens on the free
list "the poor mans blanket would be
sold for one-half its present price. when
the fact is prices for blankets of equal
quality are about the same in the United
States and England. Here IS the proof:
Last year the Secretary OF War invited
bids for supplying army blankets of four
pounds weight, and allowed foreigners
to compete on the same terms as Ameri'
can manufacturers, that is, without pay
ing the tariff. The lowest British bid
was only 80 cents per blanket less than
that of American. The tariff, if it had
been charged, would be about $3.50. Our
free trade Cabinet officer gave the con-
tract to the foreigner who pays no taxes
and buys nothing in this country, instead
of favoring the American. who supplies
work to hundreds of people and other
wise adds to the wealth of our country.
The money from our national treasury
went to foreign country, and American
soldiers are to sleep under British blank
cts, because they can be made IN Eng
land for thirty cents less than in this
country.
And here is some testimony from the
other side: Matthew Arnold, the emf
nent English scholar, statesman and free
trade advocate, recently deceased, last
year made a tour of this country, and at
forwards gave his conclusions in the
Nineteenth Century Magazine, april,
1882 In this paper the writer admits
that conditions in the United States are
favorable to that immense class of peo-
pie" whose incomes are less than $1,000
a year, while in England the advantage
is greatly in favor OF. those with income s
aboye that sum. OF wages he says, 'the
humber kind of work is better paid in
America than with US, the higher kind
worse. Luxurles are, as have said, very
dear, above all, European luxuries; but
working mans clothing is nearly as cheap
as in England, and plain food is on the
whole cheaper"