The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-08-22
Another Example---Yienna Chairs.


In his annual message, President
Cleveland adopted the dictum of the
doctrnaires, which the Argus has been
feebly echoing, that when an article is
protected by duty, the duty all comes
out of the pocket of the consumers; in
other words, adds so much TO the sell
ing price of an article in this country.
We gave some examples last week to
illustrate not only the utter absurdity of
this claim, but to show also that, in re-
spect of articles that can be produced in
this country, protective tariff does in
fact lower the price.
Discussing this question with an in
telligent western manufacturer, native
of Vermon's capital, several months
ago, he gave us some interesting facts
respecting an important branch of his
business. Visitors to the centennial
exhibition will remember the fine dis
play of chairs, constructed of bent
wood, made by Vienna firm. The
chairs were remarkable for their light
ness, beauty and strength. They were
soon placed upon the American market,
the more popular style selling at S4S
dozen. The making of these chairs
was begun in America, when the price
of the foreign article dropped to S36
dozen. After while the manufacture
here was suspended for some reason,
but was taken up again by a company
at Sheboygan, Wis, of which Mr.
James H. Mead, the gentleman to
whom we have referred, was a leading
member The western rock elm af-
forded very desirable kind of timber
for the manufacture of these chairs.
After a considerable expenditure of
time and money in patterns and expert
menting, the Sheboygan firm sue
ceeded in producing an American chair
as good in all respects as the foreign
article. The duty of thirty-five per
cent was sufficiently protective. AS
soon as the Sheboygan goods were on
the market, the Vienna product dropped
to $50 dozen. Then began struggle
between the foreigner and the Yankee
for the possession of the home market.
Yankee pluck and ingenuity has thus
far held the fort. In this contest, i'm
proved facilities and growing expert
ness in manufacturing have gradually
lowered the price of the chairs, with
out any deterioration in merit, to SIS
dozen, just three-eighths of the price
charged by the foreigner when he had
monopoly of the American market.
Comment is unnecessary. Even
free-trade college professor ought to be
enlightened by the facts of the birth and
development of this new branch of
domestic industry. The chair bust
ness at Sheboygan gives employment to
about 1000 persons. 1t has been the
main source of the growth of that city,
which, once the most stagnant and non
progressive, has become one of the
most fourishing in Wisconsin, afford
ing a valuable market for the surround
ing agricultural country and increasing
the value of the farmers lands for
many miles around. Remove the duty
on chairs, and what would be the effect
on that community? Materially lower
the barrier behind which this industry
has grown into fair proportions and is
extending its benefcent influences
throughout the surrounding country,
and what would be the local conse-
quences? Multiply Sheboygan by as
many localities as are similarly bene-
fitted in all this land by other branches
of protected industries, and what would
be the consequences to American in
dustry in general? Does any one sup
pose that the Sheboygan chair-maker,
whose wages are more than double those
of his European competitor, will vote
for policy that will either make him a
tramp or reduce his wages to the low
level of Austrian competition?