The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-05
PROTECTION AND COMPETITION.
Valuable Advantages Gained Through the Nc
kinley Law-Bright Outlook for the Future.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal
One of the very singular phases of the
free-trade discussion is. that it either fails
TO see or ignores the value of tariff protec-
ton to consumers. in the element of COM
petition. which is afforded by it Markets
and prices show that there is not q single
staple production from iron which has not
been greatly reduced in price under pro-
tective duties on foreign goods in that
line. The same 10 equally true of wooden
goods and cotton of all kinds And these
are the chief natural resources of our In
dustries IN manufactured products. 1t
cannot be asserted with truth that the re-
ductions In prices on all these products are
wholly due to improved machinery, for il is
fact that with the same Identical machin-
cry. iron and all kinds of iron products were
reduced In price to consumers. and with
the same Identical machinery WOODEN and
cotton goods went down in price more than
rs per cent All this reduction in price
during this period was due wholly to oom-
petition induced by protective duties on
foreign goods. which influenced the build
ing up OF manufacturing in this country.
1t was not done when there were but one
or two iron-miIls. wooden and cotton fac
tories. but when hundreds had been estab-
nsned. and there was real competition.
trade advocates readily enough recog-
nize the value of competition when they 90
TO market to furnish their tables and house
holds. They know as well as protectionists
that 1t Is good thlnU to have plenty OF
corner groceries. furniture establishments
and dry-goOds houses Why they ignore
the value of competition in production Is
explained, probably. by the fact that they
treat all matters with which they are not
In personal contact on purely theoretic
grounds. Free trade is. indeed. pretty
enough In theory. if we shut our eyes to the
whited sepulchre and rattle of death which
is involved In 1t. as We see 1t. under sys-
tems and organic conditions which for hum
dreds of years of human struggle still finds
"a DER cent OF illiteracy. But, tested by
experience and hard facts. it has been
found an evil genius. and the wisdom and
keen. practical sense of the American peo-
pie shun 1t as men do death.
The tariff adjustment under what was
called the Mckinley law for derision: but
which must perpstuate the name of the
great chairman of the ways and means
committee of the last Congress, is already
proving the wisest measure of the kind an
American Congress ever passed, both In Its
latter is the very perfection of the pro-
tectlve principle. That act was, moro
nearly than any other. drawn along the
lines OF our own resources and possi bill
Tics IOT pTOuucIiOn, anu on Tue OtueE manu-
hundreds of articles which We cannot pro-
duce were rightly put on the free list for
We could not build up competition and re-
duce the prices of them to our consumers.
The wild and visionary cry that the new
law would increase the cost of all things
to consumers has already been proven by
the markets to be false, and. in
deed. on many articles prices are already
lower, just as is the result under all pro-
tectives duties wisely adjusted.
Under the wonderful stimulus now set
ting in for manufacturing the agricultural
interests are bound to find great prosperity.
The blood that now tingles along the veins
of this reylving industry is the result. as
yet only of the assurance of prosperity in
restored confidence to manufacturing, di-
rectly due to the new tariff law. Presently
we shall see agriculture, as it deserves to
be, in the highest condition of prosperity,
for it stands first in Importance to Ameri-
can life. The tens of thousands
yearly entering into the other industries
made possible by protection, are constantly
augmenting the splendid home markets for
bresdsuuffs Whereas we now export 8 to
10 per cent. of our surplus, we shall not
only consume this also, but greatly widen
our fields of production. Indiana, Ohio.
600 bushels of wheat each. instead of half
products IN proportion. Intense agricult-
ure is begOtten by demand and prices.
We are entering upon of q period of pros
perity to all industry. such as this country
has not seen IT the present economic for
eign policy shall be maintained intact.
JOHN b. CONNER.
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 4.