Daily Republican., 1890-06-17
Foreign aud homo rarulaasers.

SSIt - hotbln2 tnAt auOrQe Tree
trade journals more sat stnction thar
to point out TO their readers the FAC,
that Americ an manufacturers sell theiI
products to foreign market cheaper
than they do to home market. We
say fact. for II is undeniable that In
many instances they do what ID
charged. ln referring 10 this matter
In previous issue OF the REPUBLI.
CAN we stated that q man was q fool
to discriminate against his home
American purchasers and In favor Of
foreign buyers, everything else icing
equal. We are still OF that opinion,
and have no desire to modify our re-
marks. Here are two purchasers who
come before . manufacturer, one an
American and the other q foreigner.
They want 10 purchase chilled rolls,
machinery, agricultural implements,
hardware or any other American pro-
ductlon, and each offer the same price.
The American manufacturer would be
. fool, as we have already said, 10 sell
10 one cheaper than to the other IL
they wanted no more than they were
then bargaining for.
But II one or the other should make
promises OF future purchases and hold
out the prospect Of becoming q con.
stant customer the face OF things Ii
changed very materially. There ID
hardly store on Market st. that does
mot regulate its prices ON the principle
that the purchaser shall have the bene-
ut Of large purchases. II . single ar
ticle can be bought for 80 cents two
can be bought tor 20 cents apiece. Go
into the Delaware Printing Company's
store and ask Tor pencil point pro.
tector and eraser, you will get one for
three cents, II two are wanted you
will get them both for FIVE cents. This
is principle that runs through trade
generally, that the largest purchasers
Apd those who purchase at times when
business is slsck get goods at lower
prices. So much then for this.
TheysanOther feature oStS,SSUfp4ly
isod uS.-z.h ID comet GETfthis.
II all the manuiactof1a coun-
try were to run on fiN<dl{ie and to
their utmost capacity the home trade
would be supplied In six ubnths, then
there would be six months more Of the
year ior enforced idleness unless other
markets were hunted up. The choice
comes to the manufacturer either to
shut up and discharge his hands or
seek other markets. Here is where
the charge OF selling cheaper 10 the
foreigner comes in. We are frank to
say that our American manufacturers,
under these circumstances, do make
arrangements for selling their products
In other markets il they only get for
them the first cost price They may
even do better than this, and by tax
ing advantage OF patent rights. which
DO not affect foreign markets, sell even
below cost price OF production. BY
these means they are enabled to keep
their machinery and shops In opera
tion, and their hands are not turned
adriit In idleness.
We should think that Instead oi
being condemned 1t should be source
Of congratulatioL that our American
manufacturers, though paying almosl
double the wages paid in foreign coun
tries, are by these meane enabled I,
throw their goods Into foreign market
in competition with cheap and unskill
ed labor. Referring TO this matter tn
American Economist says:
"Assuming, however, that the foreig
prices may be as mt ch as is stated belo,
the home prices. It amounts PRACTICAL
TO this, that our manufacturers lave bes
willing 10 eoncede their profits, and 1
many Instances the advantages OF the
Patent rights, And sell goods for cost, {
maybe fraction ltss, in order to get Q
ekrahce into those foreign markets whit
Tree traders 81 persistently alleged III
could lever enter 60 long as they enjoy
the advantages oi pro ection or contiu u
to pay American wages. Everybody b
free trader knows the difficulty OF 81
planting an article OF common use
another OF different make, even thou
be better and cheaper. This p,ejudl
prevails among the less intelligent peoI
Of foreign countries more than amo
our people. Yet to suppaut an artit
iu common uso here by another viii
may be better or cheaper 10 so difflc,
that IT requires often years Of effort a
pecuniary sacrifices to accomplish it."