The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-06-08
RIDICULOUS PRETENSE.
That a Tariff Raises Wages
and Reduces Prices to
Consumers.
A Few Convincing Illustrations.
tColunbus Post /


1t is very difficult for even tariff
man to reconcile such totally oppo-
site results. He is in such dilem-
ma as the schoolmQrm. a pupil
told her that his parents had two
sons and he had no brother. How
could the parents have two sons
unless this boy had brother ?
She was puzzled until-she found
that the boy had lied.
/ think that we can prove that
the protective puzzle is to be solved
in the same manner.
l have before this referred to
"Bradstreets" because it is re-
liable authority. In the issue of
that paper for May - the situation
of the copper market is discussed.
After considering the condition and
stability of the new pool of copper
owners in this country the editor
proceeds to say:
"rhe owners of the stock and the
miners on this side of the water
are protected by duty of 4 per
cent. Il pound on imports. There
is little, if any. reason to anticipate
either imports Of copper of foreign
production, or reimports of Amcri-
can stock now held abroad. Con =
sumers in this country will accord
ingly pay II cents II pound, or
there abOutS for their supplies,
taking for Il basis the combip alton
terms, while European consumers
get their metal for S too cents a
pouad."
in other words the consumer pays
more in this country for copper
and copper products by the amount
of the tariff tax. Why is this?
The explanation is clear, and in
explaining it | think | can show
the reason Of the protective policy.
Let us suppose that we have free
world. All our surplus wealth vii!
be employed; all our workmen
busy. There will be few idle men,
and no surplus capital. At this
time Il Frenclman invents new
artificial skin for sausages, which
he can sell so cheap that it will
not pay to use the Old-fashioned
skins or bags. Rapidly the new
French article will supplant the
old, and market will be created
in this country for it. As Il con-
sequense the sausages will sell
cheaper.
Now, sausages are very good
eating. More sausageS are con-
sumed than some readers will be-
lieve. In fact, so many are con-
sumed that the cheapening of their
price is very material item of do
mestic economy.
But some shrewd fellow con-
ceives the idea that we ought not
TO buy those skins of France. We
ought to make them ourselves. He
finds out the reason why the skins
are not made here. All the capital
of the country il prolitably employ
ed. The making of those skins
would be an experiment here.
Capital will not turn from an es-
tablished industry to anew one un-
less the prospective profits were
greater. T0 create this new in
dustry we must make the profits in
it greater than in other industries
This can be done by giving a
bounty,or by placing a tax of, say
cents per pound on French skins.
This is, in fact, done and the con
sumer pays pays cents more
pound than before, so that the man
ufacturer can make greater profits.
This is the very essense of pro-
lection. The effect of the tariff-taX
Is precisely the same in effect as
direct subsidy given by the gov
ernment to the manufacturer. The
tarifftax by preventing competition
permits manufacturers to ask high
er prices. MLrAdStreets" referring
TO the recent event i'm the tax title
says:
"Englsh machinery, it may be
mentioned, is used very generally
jim the modern Fall River factories
whereby some Of the American
makers Of cotton machinery are
are not little disturbed. At New
Bedford, also, one or two Of the
latest ventures are supplied with
foreign OUTFIT
Now the reason of this is clear
The tariff IN iron affects iron Just
as the tariff OH copper affects the
price Of copper. Iron enters large
~ into the making Of machinery,
henre the matefia.s cost more in
this country than they do IN En-
gland. The tariff Is not quite high