The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-07-20
DON'T BEAR INSPECTION.

The Minneapolis Star-Ne,cs recently
contained what on its face looked to be
very able article bewailing the decline
of ship building in this country, and OF
course laid all the trouble at the door OF
the "iniqu,tous tariff" 1t GAINED rs
one great reason why Americans were
unable to engage profitably in ship build
ing that the tariff on copper allows
the producers of that metal to combine
and raise the price, so that American
copper is sold in foreign countries at a
less price than 1t can be bought for in
this country. We will not dispute this
last assertion, but it, may be said that the
statements of free traderst in general
may be taken with large ,fgrcc of al
lowance. But the idea of flaming the
tariff for the decline of tie fJip building
interest is one which We ,a,' re:ute, and
for the very good reason -. the pres
ent tariff laws expressly stipulate that
"all lumber, TIMBER, hemp, MANILA,
wire rope, and iron and steel rods, bars,
spikes, nails and bolts, and copper and
composition metal which may be neces-
sary for The construction of vessels built
in the United States may he
imported in bond, and upon proof that
such materials have been used for such
purpose, no duties shall be paid thereon"
so you see Mr.. Stdr-NetCs, your great
sensation in regard to ship building falls
very fiat indeed The fact of this matter
doubtless is that labor is the great item
in ship building which Is higher IN this
country than in Europe. Ship builders
can not procure labor in the United
States for the prices which are paid in
Holland, and the Republican party pro-
poses that this state of affairs shall con-
tInue to exist for some time to come.
Labor is the great commodity which is
cheaper in Europe than in America, and
it is by means of that pauper labor that
foreigners are able to manufacture
cheaper than our own countrymen. The
Democratic party favors pulling down
the barrier which keeps out these cheap
goods and allowing them to come in to
free competition with our own wares.
The certain and only result would be
the closing of our manufactures or a
degradation of the American working
man to the level of the foreigner. The
peopl of this country don't look kindly
on this thing, and will express
themselves very forclbly thereon in No
vember next. Yesterday the Star Neoos
again rang in its "high copper" theory
in answer to correspondent who claim
ed that American sewing machines could
be purchased cheaper in Norway than
In America.
We don't believe there is any country
in the world where sewing machines are
sold as cheaply as in the United States,
and when the Star-Ne,cs talks about ex-
cessive competition it is plain he was
never in the market for machine and
had dozen agents buzzing around set
ting forth the merits of as many differ
ent makes of machines and getting the
prices down until chrome or two is Of
fered as an inducement to purchase.
The Star-Ne,U must take something else
than ships and sewing machines for a
basis of its assaults against the tariff.
But whatever it taxes, its free trade log
ic will not hold water. If not disturbed
in his pastime the free trader can pre-
sent matters in very roseate hue, but
when his theories and statements are
punctured they are always found TO rest
on wind, false statements and misrepre-
sensations. .-a