St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-18
FAVOR THE FOREIGN BUYER.

Senator HIsCocK, of New York, in
recent discussion in the senate, attempt
ed to question tine truth Of the charges
that American goods and manufactures
are sent abroad and sold cheaper than
at home. He was free to assert that
such course would be crime, but
took refuge in the assurance made him
by the trusts that only in rare instances,
and in small lots, had lower terms been
given foreign buyers. The facts, how
ever, are too we'll developed to be con-
trOverted. Many of the protectionists
admit them, and defend the practice.
1t is by no means recent matter. Six
years ago evidence was taken by
means on the point. MARSHALL,
a New York manufacturer of cotton
bagglng and rope, testified that he made
a practice of selling his rope cheaper
abroad than at home. The purchaser
in China, Paris, London, or Berlin
would get the rope cheaper than the
man who came to the factory in New
York. The tariff enabled him to do this.
Senator VEST and Senator CARLISLE
dence that agricultural implements and
many articles largely used by farmers
were sentb by the manufacturers to South
America, and sold at much lower figures
than to the farmers of this country.
They had the certified proof of this. 1t
is shown also that a great variety Of
goods manufactured in this country
are taken to Europe and sold
at cheaper rates than at home.
One of the most notable illus
trations of this is the Fairbanks scale.
This is shipped to Russia, 5000 miles,
and all the expenses of preparing and
freightage by rail and ship paid, and
then the buyer can have it at smaller
hgures than the man who goes to the
factory can obtain. This has been prov
en-. The home purchaser is made to
contribute to the benefit of the man
over the water. There is in New York
trade publication devoted to the man.
ufacturing Interests which has an edi-
ton specially for foreign circulation.
This contains offers of many varieties of
goods to foreign buyers at specified dis
counts from the prices to American
buyers. These are not trifling re-
auctions. They range up often
to 40, 60 and in some instances
to 70 per cent. One article named listed
to the home trade at S. is offered
to the alien trade at 50, and 50 article
at 60 cents. In the particular cases rep
resented by this New York publication,
caution is had to protect the names of
manufacturers from home publicity by
making them obtainable only from the
publisher. But the facts are fully es-
tablished. In the senate discussion the
protection senators were forced 10 con-
cede them. and some defended the prac-
tice as legitimate. 1t was insisted that
in many cases they came in competition
with the wares made in other countries
where wages are lower and there are no
duties on raw material, and in others
there were obstacles in the way of Amer
lean goods. Still few have the courage to
unequivocally approve the transaction.
1t might be well, while the principles of
the Republican party are being shaped
III the conferences of the two houses, to
define the relation of this Partially to
foreign buyers to protective principles
and the Republican standards. The
people are taxed to build up the manu-
features, and why not to enable them to
extend their trade to alien ports? The
more the protective policy is analysed,
the less there will be found in it for tie
farmer and the workman. There is no
advantage in higher wages if the cost
of subsistence is enhanced by burden
taN,atin1,