The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-09-29
HOW THE HIGH TARIFF
WORKS,
Selling Goods Cheaper 20 Foreigners
Than TO Home Customers.

The Hagerstown Md Mail gives the fol.
lowing striking instance of the practical oper-
alton of the protective tariff, showing the
enormous bonus obtained by the monopolists
and their perfect ability to compete on equal
terms with foreign manufacturers.
The people of the United States have vol
UNFAIRLY taxed themselves 10 an enormous
amount for the benefit of the manufacturers,
and in return for making them wealthy they
discriminate against their benefactors and sell
to foreigners at much lower price than they
will sell to citizens of the United States.
A gentleman told us recently that he went
to New York to buy certain machines to sell
in South America. That regular price to
foreigner, upon signing pledge to soil none
of them within the United States, 90. all he
wanted at 81 each.
After getting them beyond our borders they
could not be brought back again without pay
ing the tariff tax, and the tax added to the 81
would bring the price up to Sl2
The reason of this is apparent. In selling
to SouthAmerica our manufacturer is brought
into direct competition, upon entirely equal
terms, with European manufactures, without
even the cost of crossing the ocean in their
favor.
The fact that under these terms they can
compete successfully with Europe should
satisfy all that they will not go to ruin while
they are protected in this country with reve-
nue. tariff and the freight across the ocean.
The only difference will be that their pro-
fits will not be quite so enormous.
The letter given below is striking ilustra.
ton of this point. The firm of Ladner d
Bro. has two stores, one at Eagle Pass, Texas,
and the other Immediately across the Rio
drande at Eiedras Eegras, Mexico, he buys
his goods for both stores, apparently, from
the United States.
Our manufacturers who are SO excited
about the interests of our American labor Will
sell the Mexican Greaser his shovel for less
than one half what he charges the American
workman.
= The shovels referred to are the Ames
shoyeIs, manufactured in New England.
The letter Is az follows
0FIcINA DE-
L. Lddner y Hno.,
COMERCIAHTEs
En- EsTUFAs, FERRETERIA
Y OJAIATRRIA,
PIEDRAs NEGRAs, MEXICO,
August 9, 1888.
Ma. WALTER NEGLEY, Hdgersto'0n, Md.
Dear Sir:-Yours of the I'd at hand. In
reply take pleasure in giving you the figures
asked for as nearly as possible. First, in re-
gard to shovels. Our shoyels bought for our
Eagle Pass store cost US about Sc per dozen,
exclusive of freight. Our shovels Of the same
class and material cost US laid do.pn in Redrds
Neqras $2.9l per dozen. Another item:
Agate ironware cannot be bought for delivery
anywhere in the United States at better than
as per cent, discount. In Pieoras Negras we
can buy the same articles from the same
houses at 60 per cent. discount. The list is
the same in both cases. Those are not the
only articles. Disston's saws can be bought
with an additional 20 per cent. discount, shor-
ing that the manufacturers could sell in bone
markets in competition with the outside pro
ducers. These figures are only partial list.
Every article known to the hardware trade
can be bought from American manufacturers
for export cheaper than they can for home
consumption. Hoping this viii answer your
purpose, we remain,
Very truly yours,
4 T. De-.