West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-10-23

"a upon every arueie OF foreign origin which the
people oil this country desire to buy aud for which
'ney are ready and anxious TO exchange the cot
ton which they cannot spin, the corn and wheat
which they cannot consume the oil and coal
which they cannot burn, and many other products
Oh our farms, our forests, and our mines
lhese surplus products must iud n market
somewhere outside Of the United States and
there are people all over the civilized world who
cannot produce them for themselves and vino are
willing to take them from us at fair prices In ex
change for articles which they can produce. aud
who would do so IL our Government would ONLY
permit its own citizens TO make the exchange
"hhout taxing or hnimg them for bringing the
foreign commodity home. We want In cir products
ano 'hsY want ours, and the trode instead Of being
injurious to either, would be highly beneficial 10
noth' 1nt they cannot pay US in cash for ali they
want nor can we pay them in cash for all we
want; and, therefore, from the very necessity OF
inc case II we trade at all the transactions must
DC III The nature of barter-not an actual ex-
change OF one product for another, but sales and
purchases between the countries to about the
same extent SO that the proceeds Of their sales 10
us VIII pay Tor the whole or large part of what
'ney ouy from us This IS the character Of all in.
.ernauonal trade and always will be, for no nation
IN inc world could possibly pay for all It's imports
in money.
states during the last fiscal year amounted TO the
sum oil S4S 1862. aud we paid for them r1ainly
oy sending to other countries our surplus aeri
Sui'ufal products. We exported and sold In other
countries during that year breadstuff, worth
Si23,s7ooor; provisions worth Sioa.r77. IA. raw
coton worth fi5777s,77o; uriinanufactured tobacco
worth ys.ooI ,ooS; live animals worth sts ~. sox
making In all fSo5 c4964s for these Eve classes
-luSes "hieh all came from our farms. Agri-
eu"urh products constitute generally about
'n'eeiour'hs OF our annual exports, while very
large part of the other fourth consists mainly +
petroleum and other oils, coal, and other manu-
iactured goods made n ON free raw material. sucb
as cotton goods, leather etc It'll obvious that il
would be impossible for the people of the United
STATES 10 send out of the country the sum of s7as
i5i,o52 In single year to pay for foreign goods
ana every one knows they did not do so; and vet
one OF the arguments constantly made against
imporiations is that our money ought to be ex.
pended at home. IL is, in fact expended nj home
IN the production, preparation and TRANSPORTATION
oil the articles we send abroad to pay for the inn
portations; and If these articles were not sent
abroad the money could not be expended here
because there would be no market for them and
our farmers and others could not afford to produce
them.
When our own market is fully supplied with
any given article. the production of that article
must cease or be carried on at loss unless mar
ket ior II can be found somewhere else and that
Is me great difficulty in the way of many Of our
most important industries az the present time
They have no markets which will nav them for
the cost of production under our unwise system
Of taxation, and yield them a reasonable profit
upon 'heir investments. To attempt to remedy
,is eSii by st further Increasing the cost of pro
duetion Is simply TO begin at the wrong end. and
will greatly aggravate the situation.
1t can be demonstrated that we have the canac,tv
to produce most of the manufactured staples at
less cost and at the same time pay higher wages
than can be earned in any other country In the
world but in order to do we must have some
imports from other countries free of duty fit
were not Tor the excessive cost Of production In
this country, caused by the unnecessary taxation
Of crude aud partially manufactured materials
which are essential in the processes Of our indus
tries we could export and sell every year large
quantities osthe products OF our shops and facto-
Hes' after fully supplying the hosae demand at
reasonable prices.
We believe, therefore, that the osly manner IN
which our industries can be helped by legislation
az the present time. Is 70 exempt from taxat ON
the materials they are compelled TO use, and to
reduce proportonateiy the taxes on finished pro
ducts, so tha4 all farmets mechanics and
manufacturers may be able to compete on equal
terms with those OF other countries This is the
policy we advocate and which we desire 10 SEE
inaugurated and completed Just az early and AZ
rapidly AZ circumstances viii permit The cant.
taiiss who has Invested his money in these indus.
tries, the laboreT he employs, and the domestic
consumer to whom re sells, would all be beue-
fitted and nobody will be injured. with uptazed
materials, II 10 evident that they co~ld sgorI =,
pay their iaboreys better wages than they Could
afford 70 pay them now, and sell thev products 70
consumers NJ iowerpfiSes than are now charged
Resides this. nnder such policy our ,nauufae-
tured products would not be confined as thr,
are NOW aiiuoss exclusively TO the domestic mar
ket, but would enter ali TIE marlet. Of ,he ,o,,5
and compete successfully with siusslay produets
from other manufacturing countries. The omen
Ing Of these sycat markets for tie saIe Of our
goods would, IL our opinion give constant EN-
pioymeut not only to the thousands of tabore,s
now engaged "a our manufacturing Industries
but woaid create demand ornany thou.apds Il,
addition, am unless We are greatly deceived The
time would Soon come when there would be no
imporiatioss Of finished articles iutotbis country
except such az our own people. Tor climatic rea
sons, could no. produce. or do not desire 10 rro
duce. Tire only certain aud proper way 10 sto,
importstions Of such products is 10 make then,
Ourselves 50 cheapiy that no f,reien como.,ifo@
can afford 20 meet az In cur own markets. aud
TINS We couio undoubtedly do with free Materials
According 70 our view Of The subject Il il IN.
duty Of Congress, ia iegisisiing UPON matter.
within che scope of is powers. to pursue that tot
icy which will most eeftainiy promote the growth
and prosperity of every legitimate Industry ~
which our people are engaged. and not select a
Nv 70 be fostercd and encouraged ct the expense
Of The others. Agriculture, commsfee. nansfse
turing and mining are IN equally entitled 70 oar
consideration.
Those whoare engaged IN distributing the pro
ducts Of The world, ~ that they may rsach the
markets ia which the best prices can be obtained
are performing labor which condnces more Than
any othcr one thing 70 promote the prosperity Of
the actual producers Of understandable commodit.
ies. because without this labor large part or III,
fruits Of other Industries would necessarily be
wasted or disposed Of 90 q loss. Any measure
therefore which strikos blow at legitimate com.
mcrcc BY placing unreasonable restrictions upon
ihosc Who are engaged n carrying on orb ifpos.
ing unnecessary taxes OF charges upon cofauodit.
iessimpiy because they are removed from one place
70 another for safe, s. manifcstiy Injurious 10
every other industry Any rate Of taxation That
may be necessary fof The support Of the Govern.
ment ouehttobe cheerfuiiy borne, provided iis
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