Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-09-02

Dor in the world; leading all other
nations in the invention and use Of
labor saving machines; with ex-
haustless stores of raw material OF
manufactures, we ought under any
wise and equal system of laws to pro-
duce the largest surplus of the world,
and with that surplus to outstrip all
peoples in the volume of our foreign
commerce.
| Yet, under our prohibitory tariff,
commerce has been checked in its
growth and most disastrously dwarf
ed and distorted from its natural pro-
portions.
Great Britain and Ireland, with a
population of 81 100000, crowded
upon territory less in area than sew
eral of our States, with no agricul-
tural products of consequence to
spare, and much of the raw material
of manufactures to import, had in
1890 foreign commerce of $780,
100000, while the United States, with
the advantages / have mentioned,
reached only 81, 647 100000. More
over, for the ten years ending with
1890 the growth of British commerce
was far more rapid than ours.
But let us examine some of the
items of last years increasing trade.
In exports single agricultural pro-
duct, raw cotton, furnished all the
increase, and $13,000,0O0 more. In
breadstuffs there has been falling
off because of shorter crops, but,
owing to better prices abroad, we sent
out an unusually large proportion of
that shorter crop. In provisions,
comprising meat and dairy products,
there was an increase of $4,000, 900.
Thus a single glance shows that the
boasted increase of exports was not
in any way fostered by the McKin-
ley bill, but was due solely to the
fact that the cotton fields of the
South produced their largest crop
last year, and that we had 100000
900 worth of cotton to send abroad
over the previous year.
Yet that immense cotton export,
3,000,000,000 pounds, although sold
in free trade market, at prices fixed
by competition with the cheapest la
Dor of the world, was baled and sent
abroad in cotton ties on which the
Mckinley bill had raised the tax
over 300 per cent. for the benefit OF
the American Iron and Steel Asso.
citation, as if it were not enough for
that association to levy tribute OH the
farmer in the home market, but must
have letters of marque to pursue him
with its exactions into every market
where he is forced to carry his pro-
ducts.
Turning now to imports, where do
We find the increase in them? Chief
ly in three articles-cofee, tin plate
and hides. The general story of the
report. then, is simply this: That
we sent abroad last year, thanks to
the fertility Of our cotton fields, $40,-
600, 900 more of cotton and received
in return more coffee, tin plates and
hides; coffee and hides having long
been on the free list, and being left
there by the Mckinley bill, while the
purchase of tin plate was greatly
stimulated by the doubling of the
duty to take effect under that bill at
the end of the fiscal year.
Next year more bountiful cotton
crop will bring us more hides, but it
will take four bales of cotton to pro.
cure the quantity Of tin plate hereto.
fore obtained for three bales.
The Mckinley bill became law
on the sixth day of October, and the
returns for the period since that date
clearly disclose its deadly effect. For
the corresponding nine months of the
previous fiscal year, out of every hun
dred dollars worth Of goods imported
sos was dutiable. For the nine
months of the Mckinley bill this has
dropped to $53 worth, showing how
effectually it protects its chosen ben
eficiaries from outside competition.
For the nine months the increase in
value in the articles on the free list
was nearly 100000, 900, the decrease
in value of articles on the protected
list was $55, 900, 900, and for the last
month of the year (June, 1917 the
protected articles fell in value $780,
100000, while the untaxed increased
$17, 100000.
What, then, il the conclusion of
the whole matter?
That under the Mckinley bill, as
shown by nine months of its working,
the farmer finds his market narrowed,
the number of things for which he
can exchange his increasing surplus
greatly diminished; that for such ex.
change he is thrown more and more
on the free list; that as to many Of
the protected articles in which he has
heretofore had hampered, but still a
remunerative trade, the Mckinley
bill has demonitized them so far as
the purchasing Of his products is con-
cerned. and has thus firmly establish
ed the monopoly of their home pro-
ducers over the market in which be
is compelled TO buy.-Congressman
Wilson.