Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-20


Manufacturer of Farm Implements.
The fact that our manufacturers sell
their goods abroad more cheaply than at
home has been troubling the protection
lists for about a year. When the whole
thing came out in detail in an illus trated
pamphlet published by the New York
Reform club about year ago there was
much CONSERVATION in the protection
ranks. Denials and denunciation were
heard on all sides-the whole thing was
free trade fabrication, was libel on
American manufacturers, and was but
another attempt of British sympat lizers
TO strike blow at American industries
But mere denials, it was felt, would
not be sufficient, and so The American
Economist, the organ of the America
Protective Tariff league, secured an in
terview with an unnamed dealer in New
York, who said the thing was false. 1t
also wrote letters to several New Eng
land manufacturers of table cutlery. and
they denied that they gave the fore gner
any better terms than the American
buyer, though mot caring to be quoted
over their own Signatures"
But export discounts" will not down;
they are still troubling the protecti)nist
mind. Only recently Colonel Albert
Clarke, secretary of the famous Home
Market club Of Boston, saw statement
attributed 10 Mr.. \. B. Farquhar. the
great manufacturer of agricultural i'm
plements at York, Pa, that he made
special discounts to foreigners. Now
Colonel Clarke is of an investigating
turn Of mind. and so could not accept
the simple denials of The American
Economist and other journals Of his
party. He accordingly wrote the follow
ing letter to Mr.. Farquhar:
DEAR STR-HavinC recently seen statement
attributed 10 you that your firm sells goods in
the Latin countries south of us and in SOUTH
Africa al prices from to 10 per cent. less han
they are sold for in this country. and that the
manufacturer who Is able TO export his goods
can have no use for protection except to en- able
him TO eXtort more money from home pro-
ducers than he Is able to get from those
abroad desire to know little more about
the facts pertaining TO this business.
VIII you kindly inform me
!. What percentage of your goods Is sold
abroad:
.. Whether or not you sell directly to houses
in the countries named or to purchasers in this
country for shipment thence?
q. W nat = the reason tlat YOU GO not get
good prices there as here:
| I. DO You sell any goods in England, France
and Germany, and II so, how do the prices com
| pare with American prices?
! 5. What i the value Of the material en-
! tering into plow compared with the finished
/ product:
! {. Do you think the duty on such implements
! as you manufacture i relatively higher tlaa
! that upon goods IN other lines Of wood and iron
! and OF the various classes Of textiles:
! = Would yor favor reduction or repea Of
! the duty. on manufactured goods as well a. on
! raw material:
s Do you believe that American manufact-
! urers generally would be able to sell many
more goods abroad than now if they had free
| raw materials, and Il 80, about what percent
! age more than now
Some Of our New England manufacture
| favor free raw materials and some do not
| am DESTROYS Of obtaining as much light upon
| the subject as possible from the different in
! dustries in different parts Of the country. You
! viii confer favor by answering the above
! questions at your earliest convenience. Yours
truly, ALBERT CLARKE,
! Secretary.
! The following answer from Mr.. Far
quhar shows that the secretary bit of
entirely too much:
! DEAR SIR-In reply to your favor Of May &c
| have to acknowledge it quite true that our firm
! sells implements and machinery through Me-
! leo. South America and Africa lat prices from
| 10 10 per cent. less than they are sold for il
| this country" In adding that the manufac-
| urer who i able 10 export his goods can have
| no use for protection except to enable him Il
| extort more money from home purchasers than
! he i able 10 get from those abroad | was onl-
stating fact that believed was self evident.
| II Is incOnceivable that the same rival manu-
| faCturers with whom we successfully compete
| on equal terms in foreign markets can b.
thought capable Of driving rs from the marke.
! at our own doors. On that point. among in
| telligeut men, no argument Is needed.
Now, as to your questions. / viii answer
| them seriatirn:
! First-We send upon an average about one
| half Of our manufactures abroad; something
| less just now. owing to the troubles in the Ar
gentine and Chilli where we usually find our
! best market.
Second-In both ways. We sell to the foreign
houses directly and also through commission
| merchants il New York.
Third-The reason we do not get as good
| prices abroad as at home l. that we have to
| compete with countries having the great ad-
! vantage Of free raw material in their manu-
features and the further advantage Of better
transportation facilities. Great Britain. IN
| pursuance Of her free trade policy. has for
| years been extending her foreign commerce;
| while We, pursuing opposite policy, have
| left her in full possession. The Clyde ship
yards are open to every European investor who
wishes TO start line of steamers. while we
| must aa'-7lE ourselves Win Neset4s Quilt al a
| dozen disadvantages.
Fourth-Yes. we sell a few goods in England
| France and Germany, but they are made espe-
| cially for those markets. and il would be rath-
er hard TO compare the prices with the Arneri-
! can. They undoubtedly average lower for
| goods Of similar construction.
Etth-Ihe value Of the material in a
plow certainly averages more than half its to-
tai cost. We manufacture thousands of four
| horse plows for instance, for the African mar
| ket, weighing, full trimmed with draught
rod, wheel cutter, two extra shares" boxed,
| about 200 pounds each. This pillow is delivered
on board vessels in New York for less than five
dollars-about the cost Of the material in it If
| purchased at retail prices.
| Handles and beam. Observation-Disclosures 90
| Sbeel anu W
| Boxing, freight etc. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. %
| 1ObSl' - %
| Leaving about one dollar for cost of labor and