The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-03-01

CCSb u ldDOI Ill ISldAkis ~ SSitcs III lIc
United States 80 cents.
There is nothing more farcical than the
to credit our prosperity to pro-
tective tariff If protection is the chief
bonus we can offer, why did 106,S65 i'm
migrants land here In the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1887, from Germany where
they had the boon of protection? Why
was it that free trade Great Britain sent
a less number. only 93,37S? Why is it
that, if protection is particularly adj
vantageous to the laborer, and measures
the improvement in his condition in a
protection country over that IN free
trade country, only $4,000 laborers came
from England in the year mentioned and
1908 from Germany? These figures are
official.
With 100000 of workers engaged In
agricultural pursuits and 100000 in
manufacturing industries, it would seem
that the farm is what largely determines
wages. The farmer is not protected-ex-
cepting the wool-grower and the sugar
producer-because he exports his sur
plus,-about one-third of his produce.
II wages are dependent upon ability to
produce, then the factory operative must
look to the productiveness of the farm in
values. because If the 100000 workers re-
ceiye but a small compensation for their
labor. the standard viii be fixed for the
100000. And the farmer is driven from
the foreign market by the protective tar
if. There is no rule in business more in
flexible than ''if You don't trade with us
we shall not with YOU" When the farm
er's market is circumscribed the farm
ceases to be profitable and the laborers
wages suffer a corresponding diminution.
From Elk. Doc. No. 6. the diminution in
the expectation of agricultural products
may be shown: In 1880 we exported
A,4S3. O07 bushels of wheat worth SILL
42O,195; in 1886, S9,204,S 1897 bushels worth
S65955 039. The total hog products, ex-
ported comprising bacon and hams, pork
and lard, in 1880 amounted to SS4 1886, 242,
an 1887 to SCI, 659,91S. Beef products,
1880, S1S,012, 197; 1887 S15,517, 8S2. Dairy
products 1880, $1S9S3420; 1887, $685.
302. On every agricultural product there
has been marked reduction in exports,
except cotton which our factories were
to use to the exclusion of all foreign
countries, thus offering home market
through the operation ofprotection. The
exports of this commodity in 1890, were
S211, 535, 905, in 1887 its export had re-
duced only to S206,222,057. This is
what protection has done with our
greatest industry; and with what
compromising advantage? The total ex
ports of products of agriculture in 1887
amounted to 23,073, 798; of manufacture,
S136, 1865. But we must nurse the
pigmy which brings in about one-fourth
as much wealth from foreign countries
as agriculture does, and at the expense
of agriculture. What,a policy of fatuityi
Has protection resulted in an aggregate
gain or loss? In 1880 the export products
of agriculture amounted to $685., 1861 ,09l /;
lose in five years, S162,S87, 313. Export
products of manufacture, 1880, $780,
447; gain in five years, S57,225,158. Net
loss, S105,662,12S.
But this is by no means all that pro-
lection has done in preventing business
expansion. The American shipping in
terest has been almost totally destroyed.
Only II per cent. of our export Transport
tation is done in American bottoms
Foreign built vessels cannot be purchas-
ed by z. S. citizens and registered as
American vessels. American ship build
ers cannot compete with those of Great
Britain because of the greater cost Of
material, due to protection. This fact
was recognized by congress and patch
work bill was introduced to give the
ship owner who had his vessel built
in American yards bonus equal to the
tariff on the material used in the con-
struction of the ship. The bill failed to
pass, because the tariff on the articles
would represent sum greater than the
enhanced cost of material, due to tariff
Here was "Dux's" opportunity to demon
strate his talent for adjustment; but I'M
fortunately, for the shipping interest,
his fame as a writer on economic subjects
had not extended to the halls of congress
and his services were not called into de-
mand.
As a result OF the protective policy our
ship-yards build boats only for the coast
ing trade, and good authority places the
sum paid out by people of the United
States for foreign transportation services
at S130G00,000 per year.
The price of articles of domestic manu-
facture is often equal to the foreign price
plus the tariff This was true of railroad
rails in 1886, but the importation OF for
eign made rails soon reduced the price.
Statistics are more valuable than "Dux'sn
statement though asserted with all the
confidence of conscious infallibility.
A gentleman recently in conversation
with the writer, happily defined trust
as "a corporation of corporations" The
correspondent himself gives one distinc-
tive point of difference between a ''trust"
and Corner" This article purposed
comparing the capacity of our manufac-
lures with their production to show the
limitations employed to produce scarcity
and advance prices, and as an incident of
this, the loss to the laborer thus depriv-
ed of employment. But space will not
permit.
The corner" is only temporary adj
vance in price, gambling operation be-
tween dealers, struggle which cripples
some of the participants. Its effects do
not always reach the consumer. 1t re-
quires peculiar combination of circum-