Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-07-09
FOREIGN AND HOME MARKET.

Mckinley Says That No Sanctity Hangs
About the Foreign Market-But Our
Manufacturers Are Selling in That Market
Cheaper Than at Home-An Investigation
Which Proves This.
1t will be remembered that during
the brief debate on the Tariff bill in the
House of Representatives the charge
was made by Congressman Mansur, OF
NJ ssouri, that our manufacturers in
many instances sell abroad at discount
rate lower than in the home market
Mr.. Smyser, of Ohio, denied this and
quoted high tariff paper of his State,
the Cleveland Leader, to prove that 1t
was not true
Then some protectionist statesman
sent off telegram to one of the leading
manufacturers of agricultural imple-
ments in the country, asking him to
send strong denial at once. This de-
nial it was proposed to read in the House
with crushing effect and put to confusion
the enemies of the holy system of pro-
lection.
In short time the answer came, but
it was not what was ordered 1t read as
follows:
''Of course we sell cheaper to foreign
tion for?''
But this particular manufacturer is
no believer in protection. In fact he
has said that the only effect protection
has on his business is to make his goods
dearer to the American people.
He wanted his answer known on the
other side in Congress, and so he tele-
, graphed the whole thing to prominent
Democrat, and the Democrats had the
Republicans, as it is popularly said, 'in
a hole"
| Some of the protectionist newspapers
of the country have tried to deny that
these export discounts are made. But
these attempted denials have only made
matters worse, for the Engineering and
Mining Journal, a prominent trade paper
of New York has settled the question
in way that no longer leaves room to
doubt.
The result of this papers investiga-
ton is so striking, and is so important
to the consumers that the article is here
reproduced entire:
DISCOUNTS FOR EXPORT ONLY.
'In the house of Representatives, on the
| 20th inst, in the discussion of the Tariff bill.
Mr.. Mansur, of Missouri, brought up the
! question of our manufacturers selling their
! goods for export cheaper than they do to the
home trade. and he cit the Export ] rice
| List, issued every month with the Engineer
ing and Mining Journal, in proof of the truth
| of his statement Mr.. Mansur, knowing the
| standing of this journal, naturally felt as
| sured that the statements and figures pub
| llshed in our pages are absolutely correct
and can be relied en-; but Congressman
| Smyser, of Ohio, with whose views these
facts clashed, replied, quoting the Cleveland
| Leader, to the effect that American manu-
facturers make lower discounts to the home
trade than to the foreign, statement which
is easily disproved that the Cleveland
! Leader can not be ignorant of the fact.
'We recently received a letter from the
head of the h eff protection organ in this
country a-king in the most naive manner
| whether it is actually true that greater dis
counts are gwen to the export trade than to
| cur home buyers; and if so the reasons
| why. 1t would seem, therefore, that among
the ultra protectionists there is a large and
| convenient amount OF ignorance on a sub
| ject VIII ch we had supposed so well
| known as to ca for mo special comment
and which in fact IS so well known that the
regular mon hly publication of the fact. and
| of the actual export prices of our manu-
facturers, as given in the Engineering and
| Mining Journal have never been questioned
| or controverted, though we have had fire.
Quent letters from some manufacturers OBJ
the prices and discounts at which they sell
| # export only
.'In order to confirm the confidence which
! Mr. Mansur has shown in our statements, on
receipt of the Congressional Record of the
| 21st inst, containing the report of these
| speeches, we had a few of the most impor-
tant manufacturing concerns, with offices In
| this city, interviewed, and we give here
briefly the substance of what they say. The
names are withheld. though we forward
b Afr 60. l1fn N.a.
They are all firms of high standing, the
largest concerns of their classes and their
statements are easily verified.
"The manager of very prominent iron
| works said:
"'We m nufactu-e exclusively engines
and boilers; we, of course make discount
| for export AS an illustration The 20 horse
| power engine on the first page of our cata-
| logue is listed at $780, Our lowest price for
same to dealers or who 'esale houses of any
kind in this country is $525 net our export
discount ranges from 2l2 to ia per cent. bet
ter than the home trade, according to the
size Of the engine
zone of the very largest exporting firms
who manufacture silver plated ware, says:
"We allow an export discount of 60, 10 and
from our list. The best home discount we
| ever give is So l5 and 10 per cent. This
however, is only on lIrge orders
"Another of our large silver-plate manu-
facturers, who does very large export busi-
ness, says:
"'Our export discount is so, 10 and 5 per
cent. Our home di count is so per cent We
sometimes allow an extra per cent, but
only with few firms
"a slate manufacturing concern, doing a
very large b. siness, says:
"'Of course, we have special export dis.
counts: (see export Discounts stamped on
out side of our catalogue).'
"1he catalogue shows these export dis
counts to be from B;ls to so per cent. and on
large lots per cent. more.
"One cf the largest cutlery companies In
the country, doing a good export business
says:
I'VE, of course, make a considerable diff
ference in the discounts on export trade
We object, however. to giving you our home
discounts, they fiuctuate.'
| fTAe export discounts in this case are pei
cent greater than ihose to the home trade
and the firm writes: Prices are 1oE export
only.'
"a large fancy ardware house writes:
"'CeTtain W make a d ifferenee on export
trade, Our discounts, however, fuctuate sc
much that we will have to make a list out
for you,
"a very important hardware house an,
swers
"'Low.st price at which we sell goods
class or net, We allow for export a dis
count Of 40 pee oent.; upon all other good.
we allow 3SIs per cent for export and 25 pei
cent. to large home dealers
"Qne of the largest exporting mannfactur
efs II paints and Farnishes makes the fol
lowing very important statement, We may
say that the heads of this concern are, O.
were at the time of the last Presidential
election, very strong Republicans and pro
tectionists Their political and politico
economical views appear to have, beer
very grc atty modified by the practical work
ing of ths trust projection policy now il