The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-07-21
Prices Under Protective Tariff.

seek TO create prejudice against pro-
lection by charging that it enhanses
the cost to consumers, can be best
met by comparison OF prices of a
few articles in common use.
In 1860, salt, then on the free list,
sold to consumers at an average price
of So per barrel. The tariff on salt
in barrels is now II cents per 100
pounds, or say 33 ID cents per bar
barrel, and the average price is not
more than half that of 1860. As salt
has been made the subject Of special
attack, it may be well to ascertain
how much Of the present selling prices
goes to the manufacturer, against
whom it is sought to create prejudice.
In 1887, at the works in Michigan,
salt sold for 60 cents ner barrel-and
of this sum 20 cents was paid TO the
cooper for making the barrel. All
between this price and that paid by
consumers went for transportation
and profits of middlemen.
The manufacture OF plate glass was
established in 1866, when the foreign
made article sold for $3.50 per
square foot The tariff on similar
quality of glass is so cents per square
foot, and the price has steadily lower
ed until it is now 70 cents per square
foot.
Pig Iron in 1860 sold for S22.75
per ton. With tariff of S675 cents
per ton it now sells for SIS per ton.
Steel rails were first made here in
1867, when the price was s166 per
ton. The tariff has been as high as
S2S per ton, and is now SIT. Steel
rails are quoted at S31 and have some
times been cheaper.
A fayorite plea with free traders is
that with woods and woolens on the
free list, ''the poor mans blanket"
would be sold for one-half its present
price-when the fact is that prices of
blankets of equal quality is about the
same in the Unitel States and Eng
land. Here is the proof: Last year
the Secretary of War invited bids for
supplying army blankets of four
pounds weight, and allowed foreigners
TO compete on the same terms as Am
erican manufacturers, that is without
paying the tariff. The lowest British
bid was only 80 cents per blanket low
er than that of an American. The
tariff, il it had been charged, would
be about $50. Our free trade cab
met officer gave the contract to the
foreigner, who pays no taxes and buys
nothing in this country, instead of
fayoring the American who supplies
work to hundreds of people, and 9th
wise adds to the wealth of the country
The money from our national treasury
went to foreign country, and the
American soldiers are to sleep unde.
British blankets, because they can be
made in England for thirty cents less
than in this country.
And here is some testimony from
the other side: Matthew Arnold, the
eminent scholar, statesman and free
trade advocate, recently deceased
last year made tour of this country
and afterward gave his conclusions ii
the Ninteenth Century Magazine
(April 1889. In that paper the
writer admits that in this country tn,
conditions are favorable to that i'm
mense class of people whose incomes
are less than $500 year, while il
England the advantage is greatly il
favor of those with incomes above
that sum-" OF wages he says: 9Th,
humber kind of wages is better paiC
in America than with us, the highe
kind worse. Luxuries are, as | have
said, very dear. especially European
luxuries; but workingman's cloth
ing Is nearly as cheap as in England
and plain food on the whole cheaper.