The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-22
SENATOR VEST AND THE
TRUSTS.

There was quite an animated dis.
! cussion on the tariff and its ability to
breed, foster and protect trusts in the
u. S. Senate a few days ago. The
following extract from what Senator.
Vest had to say on the matter is inter
esting reading:
M. Frye. The Senator was assert
ing that a protective tariff prevented
competition and created the trusts. |
say there is no protective tariff which
prevents competition in Mexico, be-
cause there is the same tariff against
the products of England as against
the products of the United States, and
yet the United States sells $4,000
tons of steel rails to Mexico.
Mr.. Vest. AS a matter Of course,
Mr.. Disston, of Philadelphia, who is
protected on his saws, it was testified
? before the committees of the Senate
and the House of Representatives, can
sell his saws in England and under
sell the English manufacturers, and
yet Mr.. Disston gets his protection in
the United States. How will the
Senator answer my proposition when
he says that we sell $4,000 tons of
steel rails in Mexico?
l have a letter in my possession
from a gentleman who lives at Piedras
Negras on the Rio Grande, which l
believe is tran slated Black Rock upon
the Mexican side, and opposite to it is
a small American village, and there
are two stores belonging to the same
party, one on American soil and one
in Mexico, and in Mexico the same
goods are sold one-third cheaper than
in the United States, because on the
Mexican side this man is bound to
compete with the world, whilst on the
American side he is protected by the
tariff and competition does not exist.
Is it any argument to tell me that
we sell our saws, or watches, our ma
chinery, our cutlery, all over the
world, and do it successfully l say
it is an argument against the high
q protective tariff because it shows that
the subsidy we are paying inside of
the United States to enrich these man
ufacturers is a sham and fraud. They
do not need it.
That is what is the matter with the
people of the West to-day; that is why
the complaint is made of combines
and trusts; that is why the farmers
are combining or attempting to do so
in order to protect themselves against
the aggregation of capital, which by
this legislation is enabled to compete
outside of the United States success
fully, and yet to shut out the competi-
ton after they reach our own shores.
Let me give the facts:
THE TARIFF AND THE TRUSTS.
Iron Justice, Philadelphia
l. The Steel Rail Trust, buttressed
by a tariff tax of SIT per ton.
2. The Nail Trust, by a tariff of
$1.25 per 100 pound.
3. The Iron Nut and Washer Trust,
by a tax Of So per 100 pounds.
4. The Barbed Fence Wire Trust,
by a tax of 60 celts per 100 pounds.
5. The Copper Trust, by a tax of
$3.50 per 100 pounds.
6. The Lead Trust, by a tax of
$3.50 per 100 pounds.
Z. The Slate Pencil Trust, by a tax
of 80 per cent.
l should like to hear my friend
from North Corolina (Mr. vance, on
that.
8. The Nickel Trust, by a tax Of
SIS per 100 pounds.
9. The Zinc Trust, by a tax OF
$3.50 per 100 pounds.
10. The Sugar Trust, by a tax OF
So per 100 pounds.
II. The Oilcloth Trust, by a tax OF
40 per cent.
II. The Jute Bag Trust, by a tax
of 40 per cent.
l3. The Cordage Trust, by a tax O.
80 per cent.
IA. The Paper Envelope Trust, BY
a tax of 25 per cent.
Is. The Gutta Percha Trust, by
tax of 35 per cent.
l6. The Castor Oil Trust, by a taz
OF so cents per gallon.
II. The Linseed Oil Trust, by 4 taz
OF % cents per gallon.
Is. The Cottonseed Oil Trust. by
tax Of % cents per gallon.
10. The BOrax Trust, by d tax o
SIS per 100 punds.
20. The Ultramarine Trust, by
tax of SIS per 100 pounds.
j. And so on, and they are adding t.
|. them day by day. Now, Mr.. Presi
dent, the favorite argument of on
friends who sustain the high protec
! tive tariff is that high duties lower tn
cost OF products to the b.
reason of the competition between tn
manufacturers inside of the United
States. If that be so, why are thes,
trusts created? They are created be
cause when foreign competition ha