Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-13
The Beauties of a Home Market,


The Beauties of a Home Market.
If the men who make the "geop
raphy. books" for our children were t
tell the truth about the great continen
of South America, they would set dow
for tt cir pupils few facts like these
using their own inimitable interroga
tive and responsive method:
Q-What is the political and com
mercial composition of South America
A.-South America is composed of
number of states and nations, under
varying forms of government, many o
them rich, and some powerful. AL
the civilized nations are engaged ir
agriculture, trade, stockraisng, anG
similar employments.
| Q.-Are there any manufacturing
countries in South America?
A.-There are no manufacturing
| countries in South America.
| Q.-What are the exports of South
| America?
A.-Hides, skins, wool, coffee, rub
Der, dye-stuffs, drugs, guano, ,and many
other articles.
Q.-What are the imports of South
America?
Machinery, tools. linen, cotton and
woolen cloth, furniture, medicines,
wines--in fact, nearly all manufactur.
ed articles used in civilized life.
Q.-To what countries does South
America send exports?
A.-To England. Germany, Spain,
France, and to the United States.
Q.-Who is her principal customer?
A.-The United States.
~
her imports?
A.-FrOm the same countries.
Q.-From whom does she purchase
the most.
A.-From England.
Q.-From whom does she purchase
the least?
A.-From the United States.
Q.-Why does not South America
deal more largely with the United
States?
A.-Because there is no regular COM
munication by steamship.
Q.-Why is there no regular COM
munication by steamship?
A.-Because it does not pay to run
steamship line that can carry cargos
only one way.
Q.-Why could not steamship lines
carry cargos both ways between South
America and the United States?
A.-Bt cause South America will not
buy the manufactures of the United
States.
Q.-Are the South Americans ILL
disposed toward the United States?
A.-No, they are very friendly to-
ward the United States.
Q.-Then why will not they buy the
manufactures of the United States?
A.-Because the prices are too high.
Q-Why are the prices too high?
A.-Beca use the people Of the United
States have to pay a heavy tariff tax
on all raw materials which they inn
port, and SO can not compete with
coun tries that get their raw materials
free.
From such catechism the American
child might learn why his country is
shut out from one of the greatest
markets of the world, and forbidden to
win its share Of the money that pours,
year after year. into the Golfers Of Eng
land, France and Germany. And the
further the catechism extended, the
more he would learn Of the imposition
which is practised on the whole coun-
try for the benefit of a small number of
American handlers of raw materials
who are able to exert influence over
the Senate of the United States. And
what he would learn in the case Of
South America would be equally ap-
plica BILE to almost any other foreign
country with which we deal.
We have spoken of South America
because our dealings with that country
afford fragrant example of our un-
businessIike dealings with foreign ma
tions. It has been notorious for years
that England, Germany, Spain, and,
in small way, Portugal. have snatch
ed away from this country the South
American trade that fairly belongs to
US. Our exports to South America are
q little lumber, some railroad engines
and street Cars, a few agricultural inn
plements, a large assortment Of patent
medicines, and, for the rest, plenty Of
bilge-wster AMI free Apace between
decks. The South Americans, from
Brazil clear round to Chill, have sold
their goods to US, aud bought their
goods of England, Germany, France
and other European nations. 1t is
senseiess to assert that the lack of reg
on of this extraordinary one.sidedness
of international trade. We have COM
munication enough with South Amer
ica to import all we want: that the
vessels which make the communica-
ton go back empty or halffull is owing
to our extravagant tariff, and to moth
ing else.
As a matter of fact we have had
steamship communication with Brazil,
supported by government subsidy.
and that faiied, more than fifteen years
ago. OF course, it is possible TO run
regular lines Of steamships from New
York to Rio Janeiro and to the Rio
Plata, and from San Francisco to VAL
paraiso, by paying heavy govern
ment subsidy. But why should such
a subsidy be paid? If there is trade
enough to make the lines profitable,
they will be established. We Ameri-
cans are forbidden by law to buy and
forbidden by tariffto build ships. But
the English, who do all our carrying
trade, and make all the profits-they
will run lines of steamships from the
United States to South America ii
there is money in it. The fact that
neither England nor any other country
runs such lines, with hundreds OF
tramp" steamers lying idle,) is proof
positive that such lines do not pay and
can not pay, as things are at present.
or course as we have said, subsidy
could make them pay. But subsidy