Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-09-21
CARRIAGE BUILDING AND TARIFF
TAXATION

| As the manufacture of wheels and
carriages was carried on about two
thousand years before the christian
era, it must require great audacity fol
a protectionist to hold it up to view as
an infant industry in this year of oul
Lord 1888. But this is what The
Dodgeville Chronicle does, and in an
article based upon this claim attempts
to oyerturn the whole tariff reform
cause and make shipwreck of the
science of political economy.
AS the easiest and best way of COM
batting the false notions and erroneous
statements in the article referred to.
The Democrat will briefly state some
Of the manifest effects of high tariff
taxation upon the business of building
wagons and carriages in America.
Excepting, perhaps, agriculture, no
other industry would be benefited in a
greater degree by a reduction of sea-
board taxes. In manufacturing We
hicles Of all kinds the United States
surpasses all other nations. American
ingenuity and skill has enabled our
manufacturers to attain the highest
degree Of excellence in construction:
while improved methods have reduced
the cost Of manufacture to very low
point. Owing to these conditions the
American manufacturer of wagons
and carriages finds in the markets of
the world greater demand for his
products than his English or even his
French competitor.
Were it not for the fact that the
American manufacturers are handi-
capped in two ways by protection they
would practically control the markets
Of the world. In the first place, BY
reason of import duties the cost of
their materials is unduly enhanced for
the benefit Of the steel, iron and other
trusts; and. in the second place. our
shipping laws, which constitute a very
important part of the protective F."
system, having destroyed American
shipping, it is very costly and difficult
IN shin \ naricap ,,-nC,Dpe orJ oo-r; ,-,,,
to the markets where they would be
in best demand. AS a consequence of
this state of affairs which limits the
market, our larger factories are often
troubled with what it called over pro-
duction, and are compelled to sacrifice
their stocks at less than cost of manu-
facture. And the competition thus
brought to the doors Of our smaller
factories is far more hurtful than
could possibly be produced by absolute
free trade.
If, as The Chronicle says, a first
class wagon offered for sale at $38
stood on the streets of Dodgeville
all summer, it would tend to show that
the attempt to bring about and main
tain prosperity by high protection has
failed.
1t IS vain to speculate. as The
Chronicle does, whether in case an
English wagon was imported to Dodge
willie it could be sold with the amount
of duty added to the cost, or at the
price of the American wagon, $3S. IT.
is quite likely that it could not be sold
any more readily than an old " traveller"
or tread-power threshing machine.
And it is doubtful whether bonus of
$;}S would induce any teamster or
farmer in Iowa county to take the
wagon us gift and use it, Stratman
x Go. might buy it for the purpose of
contrasting with it their superior
workmanship
No, if foreign made goods cannot
be imported and sold at Il profit after
adding the duty, they are not imported
at all And President Cleveland is
quite right in saying that tariff laws
raise the price to the consumer of all
art iplpC innnrt pl and C,Ibinpt tn ,l,,t,-