Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-03
FOREIGN AND HOME MARKET.

FOREIGN AND HOME MARKET.
Mckinley Says That No sanctity Hangs
About the Foreign Market-But Our
Manufacturers Are Selling i'm 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
Missouri, that our manufacturers in
many instances sell abroad at discount
rate lower than in the home market
Mr.. Smyser, of Ohio denied this and
the Cleveland Leader, to prove that it
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-
NAL 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
ers than to Americans. What is protec-
ton 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 a prominent
Democrat, and the Democrats had the
Republicans, as it is popularity said, sin
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, 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
goth 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 citsd the Export Price
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
lished in our pages are absolutely correct
and can be relied on; 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
1 o. 1<f c<af0 y, t<h
| is SO easily disproved that the Cleveland
| Leader can not be ignorant of the fact.
1--WE recently received letter from the
head of the chief protection organ in this
| country asking in the most naive manner
| whether it is actually true that greater dis
| counts are given to the export trade than to
| our home buyers and il SO the reasons
| why. 1t would seem, therefore. that among
| the ultra protectionists there is a large and
| convenient amount of ignorance on a SUBJ
| tect which we had supposed was SO well
known as to call for no special comment,
| and which in fact is so well known that the
| regular monthly publication of the fact. and
| of the actual export prices of our manu-
| facturers, as given in the Engineering and
| Min ing Journal have never been questioned
or cOntrOverted, though We have had fire.
| Quent letters from some manufacturers OBJ
jecting to our letting the home trade know
| the prices and discounts at which they sell
| for export only
SIN 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 few of the most impor-
tant man ufacturing concerns, with offices in
| this city, interviewed, and we give here
| briefly the substance of what they say. The
names withheld. though we forward
| them to Mr.. Mansur for his satisfaction.
They are all firms of high standing, the
| largest concerns of their classes, and their
| statements are easily verified.
''The manager Of avery prominent iron
| works said:
| "'We manufacture exclusively engines
| and boilers; We, of course, make a discount
| for export. AS an illustration: The 20 horse
power engine on the first page of our cata-
| logue is listed at 500. Our lowest price for
same to dealers wholesale houses of any
| kind in this country is s525 net; our export
| discount ranges from PIE to 7I2 per cent. bet
| ter than the home trade, according TO the
size of the engine
"One 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, I5 and 10 per cent This,
however, is only on large orders
! another of our large silver plate manu-
| facturers, who doee very large export bust
| ness, says:
cent Our home discount is SO per cent. We
sometimes allow extra per cent, ba,t
only with few firms
| ga slate manufacturing concern, doing a
|
| "'Of course, we have special export dis
counts (See 'Expor. Discounts stamped On
outside of our catakogue).'
! s'1he catalogue shows these export dis
| counts to be from sszs to SO per cent. and ON
large lots per cent more.
| "One of the largest cutlery companies in
the country, doing good export business,
says:
1--WE, of course, make a considerable diff
ference in the discounts on export trade
| We object, however, to giving you our home
discounts, as they f1uetuate.'
| "The export discounts in this case are per
| cent. greater than those to the home trade,
| and the firm writes: Prices for export
only
"a large fancy hardware house writes:
| "'Certainly we make q d Ifference on export
| trade. Our discounts, however, fuctuate SO
| much that we will have to make a list out
| for you.'
| "a very important hardware house an
| swers:
"Iowest price at which we sell goods.
| class A or net, we allow for export q dis
| count of 10 per cent upon all other goods
| we allow 331a per cent for export and Is per