Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-10-19

market and cannot be relieved by export,
for its character is not suited to other
countries, even If its high cost allowed
competition. When a glut comes upon
the home market, as it frequently does |
in manufactures of cotton and wool, wa
ges are lowered to meet the internal COM
petition. Oyer-production does not tell |
so quickly upon wages in England be-
cause we are a great exporting nation,
and If there is no market at home we seek
it abroad. The United States cannot be
so, for her cost of production is raised so
high by protection that her exports are
of small account in the markets of the
world. Compare the two countries
England and the United States-in their
intercourse with each other. America
has raised against English manufacturers
fiscal barriers which might seem to be in
surmountable, the duties imposed on our
goods being from thirty to 100 per cent.
In spite of this she has to buy from this
country goods to the value of twenty
seven millions, while she exports to us
less than three millions. A comparison
of the markets of the world is still more
striking. Last year England sent out
exports to the value of PIP millions,
chiefly manufactures, and America only
twenty-three millions. Recollect | am
now only speaking of manufactures, not
of food. Yet the United States is essen
TALLY great manufacturing nation, with
population, honest, industrious, ener-
getic, educated, and above all, inventive.
If she level her hostile tariffs, England
will in course of time meet a very dan
gerous competitor in the markets of the
world. AS long as there is a rapid in
crease of population, aided by immigra-
ton, American manufacturers are content
with their internal free trade, and FORUM
ately for US, they will not quickly aban-
don protection. If they do, the United
States will possess an enormous advan-
tage over European nations, because,
while they prepare for wasteful war by
costly ornaments, America only prepares
for economical industry by new inven-
tons.
''Still you may naturally think that the
fact of a large immigration in America
proves that protection produces high
wages, and that men go over there to seek
them. That is an argument quite
fairly used by fair traders. What is the
fact: The value of immigrants in Amer
. lea is that they become consumers of do
nestle manufactures and are useful as la
borers. not that they become workers II
protected industries. Twill take the yea
1870 by way of illustration, because tina
: year reached the maximum of protection
!. as well as the maximum of immigration
, The number of emigrants who landed il
America that year was 3S1, 203. On an
alysing their occupations it turned GU
a that only $500. or less than two per cent
came over to make manufactures whicl
: either could be or were protected.
t | have not time to allude at any length
4, to the absurdities and crudties of tn
: American tariff, but let me give one sin
= gle Illustration in regard to the woole
0 manufactures of Leeds. The hghes
e quality of such goods is west of Englan,
f broadcloth. l am not sure of its marke
: price just now, but let us take it at las
/ Cd. per yard. Now upon that Americ
charges a specific duty of seventeenpenc
r per pound weight and an advalorem dut
e of forty per cent, making together dut,
y of fifty per cent on the price of tn
: factory at Leeds. Pass down from tn
: highest to the lowest or cheapest kin
J. of wooden goods, called "cotto
Y warp reversible cloth,"-a sor
h of imitation of better kind which sell
e at about Is. lOd. per yard at the factory
= Upon that low class of goods the sam
l. specific duty is charged as upon fin
v broadcloth, and 80 per cent on the value
d so that together the duty amounts to Is
d per cent on the price paid at Leeds. Tha
l. buys broadcloth pays an increase of D
e per cent on its value, while the poor ma
l. who might satisfy himself with tn
Is cheaper material pays lS1 per cent on tn
" PiiNC' IL uutAOo oiC ,IustIluDlC AZ al
n they should be put on the labor cost {
p production, but they are really put hal
N hazard, without any principle, and jus
x as separate and selfish interests obtai
1t ascendency in the Congress. The ia
y traders never tire of pointing to Americ;
v and wish us to inaugurate a similar sy
s. tenn in this country. If they are in pc
ut session of a secret principle which wi
Ill prevent inequalities and absurdities, VIII
E. do they not make it public? | quiz
r agree with Mr.. Bright when he says:
should like to see carefully drawn tart
rs of the fair traders, protectionists an
N monopolists, who are now asking f'
s. public support. 1t would be an amusir
ne exhibition of ignorance and folly al
70 confusion
l. II.