The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-04-26
Tariff for Protection.

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Editor Fallen Tirginian
1t is stumbling block with manv the elafn,
put forward by the friends of protection that
It's tendency is to lower the cost to tie CON
sumner OF the protected article.
How can tax on anything cheaper ii such
will ask, and the question is poser to many.
Let us look into it.
The law of supply and demand governs prices
Any policy which largely Increases the supply
by widening the area of production evidently
has the effect of lowering prices ANY policy
which circumscribes the area OF production
and contracts its volume it is equally evident,
tends to scarcity and higher prices. Let us in
stance the iron trade. Under protection the
out put of iron ore IN this county has increaE-
ed to 10000 900 tons per annum.
This vast quantity is added to the world s
production. It is a direct result of our protec-
tive system.
This vast addition to our former supply has
not only cheapened iron in our country but,
it has by checking our demand for the foreign
product lowered prices all over the world
Take wool, Our system has vastly extended
wool growing, by an increase OF our fiocks, and
it has also resulted in an improvement in their
quality
If that increase is to the extent of 100 900 goo
lbs. OF wool produced in our own country then
1t is apparent that The worlds stock is in
thus compelled to compete in a more restricted
market and lower prices result
The 10 per cent. reduction in orr tariff on
wool in 1888 had the immediate effect of lower
ing the price CT wool in our country, and it has
already diminished the number of our sheep
6,oO0.oO0 and the tendency is to a still further
decrease of our hocks
Now is it not self-evident that this dimini-
ton OF our hocks tends to a curtaiiment OF the
world supply and to an advance in prices?
But If our free trade friends succeed in put
ting wool on the free list then what will be the
result? That is just what they are aiming at.
The Mills revenue bill puts wool on the free
list. Ii the tiocks OF our country have been cur
tailed by 100000 sheep as reports show by the
reduction of 1883 in our tariff is there not good
ground for the result predicted by the wool
growers of Texas, Ohio. Oregon and California
that it would ruin this important industry?
1hp1l Si1n ~,
round numbers.
Tue demand for wool is never-ceasing. Out
down our fiocks to The old number of Is 600 00t
and can any man doubt that wool would COUP
DO those dear friends of America, the mem
bers of the "Cobden Club al home and abroad
in seeking to secure free entry into markets
really intend that 1t shall be for the sole bene-
tit of our consumers?
Common sense forbids the idea. They are
to-day paying large sums to help support the
American government-to pay the pensions OF
our soldiers and the interest on our public
debt.
With the islands of the seas and Europe they
pay now 10 get at our market. for the privilege
of selling in our markets. the large sum OF
V2l7, G000 600 and relieving our tax payers to that
! extent, In truth they do not like it, but still
they find it worth the money, for they continue
| to sell to us. 1t is. we know, claimed with all
| the vigor OF which the advocates of tree trade
| possess, tina that sum is added to the cost OF
| the imported goods and paid by the consumer
| and some of the more ardent and dogmatic
even assert that for every dollar of revenue
collected, the consumer is saddled with two
more dollars that go TO augment the profits OF
| our manufacturers.
| To show the absurdity of this claim we will
| name a few examples
Calico prints are subject to duty of cents
per square yard, which is AZ cents for calico
/ q yard wide, American COLLEGES are sold fol
less than the duty.
Cut nails and spikes are subject to a duty o
one and one-quarter cents per Id. American
| made nails and spikes have been sold as low al
81 IS per lbs.
| Chloroform is subject to a duty of 50 cents pc
h. American made chloroform is actual,
sold at IS cents per 10.
| The list can be extended ad libitum, to SHOW
the utter absurdity of such pretensions as ar
stated above.
That our tariff neecs revising every intelli
gent man knows.
The tax on spool cotton is at l4c per dozel
spools of 200 yards and like that chloroform tai
is prohibitive in its character. We derive lttl
revenue. Put them on the free list and larg
importations would surely result, tor thei
cost is mainly in labor, and our present manu-
facturers of those two products would eithe
have to get cheaper labor or close their works
The Messrs. Coats who own and operate vas
TIL cad works at Paisley, Scotland, and at Paw
tucket, Rhode Island. state that they pay Wo
man competent to run the machines IS pc
week in Pawtucket, and s.. 50 per week in Scot
land The operatives here are American tax
PAYERS, and consumers of American farm pre-
duce as we'll as of the products of other opera
tiyes in all the varied lines required by civ
ilization. In Scotland they would be neither
Which is best for us and which is best for tn
thread maker? }. w. PORTER,