Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-05-09
THE HOME MARKET FRAUD.

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THE HOME MARKET FRAUD.
The advantages of protection to the
protected classes are based on the fact
that there are certain Industries in this
country that can, and do, supply their
products as cheap or cheaper than
they can be produced elsewhere.
The people engaged in agriculture
and stock raising can derive no benefit
from projections; because the cereals,
beef, and pork cotton, and tobacco
are produced in excess of home wants,
and the surplus must be sold abroad,
at free trade prices, or less than free
trade prices, on account of duties
levied by other nations on these com
modities. The practical effect of our
system is to enable the manufactures
to obtain higher price for his goods
in this country than anywhere else,
while he pays less for the necessaries
Of life. If the prices Of the latter,
and all other articles produced in the
country, which the manufacturer must
purchase, were advanced by protection
in the same ratio that his own goods
are, it is evident that he could realize
no advantage from 1t. II all the
people 81 i country co'Ild DC protected
equally; Il task that woald require
divine inspiration and omnISclence |"
elect Then cach would receive from
ali Just what ne contributed To All, ana
the members oil community enjoying
P'Iie'''J el'I'"oie system % pro
'cetloh Woui" DC JUST Us wen OH as
II they had not got IT, minus tile diS-
advantage OF restricted commerce.. 10
10 believe otherwise IS to entertain
the superstition that tins thing called
protection mas the power OF working
miracles 81 making something OUT
OF nothing
Inc farmer IS ioId iIE't the peheh'
That he receives from protection lies
chleily III an increased nome market.
mat protection Is no disadvantage to
HIM anyway ana II II IS he Is more
Than reimbursed through the increased
demand Tor ms pro"nctS' Drought
about by protection Protection may
be supposed to beneilt the farmer III
several different ways; all OF which
can be practically reduced to three.
To increase his possessions 1t must
either increase the price of what he.
sells, reduce the price of what he buys,
or do both Of these things. The prin-
cipal agricultural staples are wheat,
corn, oats, barley, potatoes, beef, pork,
cotton and tobacco. The prices of
these cannot be Increased by any i'm
port duties levied on them, because
they are not imported; on the contrary,
they are produced III excess of home
demands, and surplus OF them must
be exported, and the price obtained
abroad determines the price of the
same commodities ut home. This
proposition has been frequently denied;
SO let us examine II. If the foreign
price IS lower than the home price,
commodity VIII not be exported TO
say that the price OF Wlleat is higher
in New ork than in Liverpool, is to
say that II can oe sold for more; and
when farm products or other things
are exported to sell, that fact itself, is
conclusive OF the higher foreign price.
i Is iaW presumption that exporters
Of wheat, tor example, are in the bust
ness to make money; and ii IS self
evident that the only way in which
they can do this is by selling for such
price in foreign countries as will cover
first cost, with added tranSportion.
commission, insurance, storage and
other charges and leave a fair margin
for protit and while the condition NJ
the home and foreign market is sucb
AS TO admit of this. EXPORT will CON
tinue. and when tha drain of wbaa+