The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-10-04
FREE TRADE FALLACIES AND
DECEPTIONS.


a favorite plea for tariff reform" is to
have placed on the free list all raw ma
terials used in manufactures. The work
ingmen arc told that the result of thus
cheapening raw materials will be to ena-
BILE manufacturers to increase wages.
While one set of orators are preaching
this to wooden mill operatives, another
set are'telling the sheep raisers that put
ting wool Oh the free list will so widen
the markets for wooden goods that man.
ufacturerS will be enabled to pay
higher prices for wool, and still make
money.
Aside from their inconsistency, q glance
at the experience of England shows the
fallacy of such claims. With free raw
materials for all lines OF their manufac-
lures, English employers pay II per cent.
less wages than are paid in the United
States. This is on the authority OF the
chief of the labor bureau, himself free
trader. TO the intelligent working man
it thus becomes evident that the cheaDer-
ing process of English free trade affects the
wages put into the manufactures rather
than the price of the raw materials, and
such is really the case.
The accommodating theorist seeks to al
lay all anxiety on the part of the manu-
facturer by pointing him to the fountain
OF wealth, the foreign trade. Just where
this trade is to be found is detail with
which the average free trade advocate
does not trouble himself. He relates that
England does that way" hence that is
the proper thing to do. But the more
practical man is likely to hunt for facts,
and when he finds them he sees that two
of the leading textile industries of the
United States, cotton and silk, have all
along enjoyed the advantages of free raw
materials. He sees that the products of
neither of these two have to any extent
gone into foreign markets. With cotton
at their doors, and raw silk imported
without duty, our manufacturers last
year sold abroad but $14,929,3 42 of
cotton goods, and only $52,513 of silk
goods. The reason for this is plain.
I. Foreign markets are already supplied
from Europe with goods manufactured
by labor that is paid less wages than are
paid in the United States. 2. The man.
ufacturers of the United States have not
haar, ha fn 70 of
people, as we last year imported of cot
ton goods $29, 15O,O59, and of six
goods $31 1864, 256. Here is market of
over $6O,OOO,OOO within reach of our
own manufacturers, but from which they
have been crowded by foreign competi-
ton, and that amount of money sent
abroad to pay laborers and capitalists
who contribute nothing to the support
of our government, and whose interest in
our welfare ceases with the receipt of our
money.
But the fallacy of the alleged necessity
of free raw materials to enable manufac-
tarers to export their products is all the
more apparent when we consider that
under the existing tariff laws ninety per
cent. of the duty collected on any mate
rial of manufacture will be refunded when
the finished product is exported. This
leaves but ten per cent. difference Letween
the present law and absolute free trade
in raw materials, 50 far as the export
trade in manufactures is concerned Why
then, is our export trade so limited? BE-
Cause the articles find better market
at home, where, under the influence of q
wise fiscal policy, higher wages are paid
for labor than anywhere else l., the
worl', and where larger percentage If
the people are purchasers of marufac-
turcd products.
England has for centuries been on the
hunt for foreign markets, and has already
occupied all those over which her force
or diplomacy could prevail. Her sub
sidized steamers are blowing every sea- in
quest of trade, her emissaries arc i'll
triguing at every port for commercial all
vantage. The concessions in the Mills
bill, advocated BY the president and his
party, are quite as much as the Ameri-
can people could be expected to grant
without suspecting the real object of the
conspirators, and for this reason no
more is demanded. But with this gained,
the desire for our markets will be unsat-
isfied, the envy of Our prosperity unal-
1ayed, the demand for further tribute to
British greed will be as loud as ever. No
concession short of absolute surrender
will satisfy the assailants of our protect
i've policy. Our only safety lies in their
overwhelming defeat.
Tho c,pdid,o,, of To1 r.