The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-28
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Fa,Iacie, of Free Trade.

Eailacies of Free Trade.
| To the Editor of the indianapolis Journa.:
It is constantly asserted by the advocates OF
free-trade that the home manufacturer adds the
amount of the tariff duty to his goods, and sells
them to our own people at that enhanced price
| We admit that such might be the il there
were rot enough home manufacturers to pro-
duce competition, or if it possible for all the
! homo manufacturers to combine in pool or
trust, and maintain it to such an extent as to
| limit the productions of home goods and dictate
their price; but such is the case for there Is
too much idle capital awaiting the opportunity
| for profitable investment, and there are too
| many keen, shrewd business men watching for
opportunities to engage in any line of manufact-
IRE that will pay a good per cent. on the invest
ment of brains and capital. Hence need
| have no apprehensons of single or confeder-
ate monopoly in any line of business whatever
in this great country os ours
1t is a we'll known fact that the prices OF all
nome manufactured articles have steadily de-
c1ned since the close of the great civil war, and
homemade goods were never so cheap and
abundant in this country as they are now. The
competition III all lines of home manufactures
IS so sharp and pronounced that most of our
business men engaged in home manufacturing
have to be content with a small margin of pro-
fit on each article. and can only succeed IN
curing great profits by increasing and extendin
their sales The truth is and it seems TO have
escaped the 1aundlced vision of the free-trade
advocates that most of our manufacturers pro-
fits are derived from the use os improved
chinery on which the patent has not expired.
and that what they are obstreperously in
Weighing against and dolorifcally com plain
ing about actually due to the exrortions and
royalties exacted by the holders of paten t-rghts.
Seriously, there is much more ground for
planning OF the duties of tariff extorted from the
people by tho operations of patent-right
laws, than there is of the much abused protect
i've tariff, for there is protection against the
extortIon of patent-rignts while the patent lasts.
There IS much greater need to-day or a thorough
and equitable revision of our patent-right laws
than there is of the much abused and misrep-
resented tariff, which has sins enough of its
to answer for without being compelled to do
double duty in serving the scape- grace for the
sins perpetrated by patent-rights also. Yet
do not hear any body clamoring for the repeal of
the patent-right system. and growing spasmod-
caIly because we cannot have absolute free
trade in patent-rights. We pay the exactIons
OF patent-right mouopolists without murmurng,
because the patent system encourages lnven-
ton. and the money paid goes to some of our
own people and is kept at home. instead of be-
ing sent abroad to foreign lands to swell the
Golfers of foreign man ufacturers. Our farmers
have paid millions upon millions of dollars in
the last twenty-five years upon improved farm
ing implements, iuordinate proportion of
which was clearly nothing else but parent-right
profits, but they did not get mad over having 1t
to nay and demand the repeal of the patent
right system, for well they knew that increased
competition in manufacturing such articles,
well as thesgradual expiration of patents. would
In the course of time reduce the prices to
reasonable profit all such articles, which it
has done, and farming machinery of all kinds
was never so cheap as it is now; yet notwith-
standing the enormous profits that have been
paid TO the manufacturers of agricultural
chinery in the past, one is fool hardy enough |
to insist that the patent-right system must De |
abolished, and the man of brains who inveuts. |
and the man of capital who assists the inventor |
in getting his new machinery before the world, |
and in introducing it for the general benefit of |
all concerned. must be relegated to the I'M
friendly limbo of freet trade. and special re-
ward to the poor but inventive genius who
makes some new discovery for the betterment
of mankind and evolves it into practical shape.
So with our old friend the protective tariff,
IL AS carried us safely over the stormy torrents
OF financial floods in the past, and now that we
have reached the haven of fiscal safety, let US
not desert the old ship, but rather let us repair
and reconstruct, and strengthen it in every part
so that it may in the future ride in security
over smoother seas below, and the light of
brighter skies above. WIN. r, NORRIS
SHELBYVILLE, Ind.