Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-15
The Fallacy that the Former Di-
minishes the Volume Of
the Latter
Protection and the Consequent De-
velopment Of our Industries
Actually Increase it.
IF We Buy Less Of Such Articles as
We Produce We can Buy
More Of Those For
eign Made.

Free traders tell US that the encourage.
ment and development of our home indus.
tries by means of protection diminlshes
| our foreign trade, especially with Europe.
Never was a greater fallacy promulgated.
| At first sight there seems 10 be some plausi
blllty In the assertion, but closer exami-
nation will show how utterly untenabe it
is. 1t is maintained that if we make our
own metal and textile fabrics instead of
buying them from abroad that our foreign
| commerce must of necessity be curtaied.
! But suppose we attempt to buv from
abroad. how long would our money hold
| out? Would Europe take greater guam
tity of agricultural products than she
needs simply to accommodate US? And
| how much more of these products could we
| furnish.
Instead of diminishing our foreign COM
| merce the development of our industries
increase it, though in diffent channels.
If we buy less of such articles as we can
produce, we are able to buy more of such
| as we cannot ourselves produce. If we
make our own iron and our own clothing,
we can buy more tea, coffee, sugar, India
rubber and other topical and semi-tropical
productions. Increase our general wealth
and we need not be solicituous about our
foreign trade. Our wants are limited
only by our ability to buy. Much of the
surplus from our industries is now spent
by our citizens IN foreign travel. The re-
ceipts of the Manchester cotton weaver
may be reduced, but those of the English
hotel owners and railroad and steamship
proprietors will be increased.
Again, if we buy largely Of tropical
products the producers of these are again
enabled to buy more European manufact-
ures. We may buy for 200 millions from
Spanish Americans, and sell them for but
50 millions in return. This is, in fact,
about what we do. Where does the
balance of $50 millions go? To Europe.
Suppose we could buy only for SO millions
Would not Europe and European trade be
short the $50 millions? We, in point of
fact, pay the $50 millions to Europe. But
for our ability to buy these $50 millions
would be cut off entirely.
1t is true that we hope IN time to sup
ply our southern neighbors with a por-
ton of the goods they now buy from
Europe, and when we get proper rail and
steam communications we shall certainly
do so. But because of the cheaper labor
of Europe we cannot hope to compete in
many of the branches of manufacture
The advantage of cheaper production, if
advantage it be, will remain with Europe,
as long as labor is cheaper there.
But we produce some goods that Europe
cannot or does not produce as advantage
ously as we do. In the first place, we have
American production that are patented.
and then there will be novelties that suit
the fancy and taste b:tter than do the
European productions. But this new out
let for our wares will in turn enable US to
buy more, and also enable our southern
nelghbors to buy more, which will again
make a better market for the European
producers.
In the long run an impoverished custo-
mer can never be good customer If to-
day Ireland was a rich and prosperous
country she would be a much better custo-
mer for England than she now is. 1t is
true that Ireland might make her own
cloths, and even be competitor Of Eng
land in other markets. But she would
take other English products to more than
compensate.
Suppose we close our factories, set all
our people to farming, and get all our
manufactured wares from England, she
taking our farm products in return. It
is true that she would then have the salts
faction OF keeping US in state of indus
trial subjection with which political SUBJ
lection must follow, as we would never
have the appliances for either offense or
defense. But would this really contribute
to English prosperity? 1t might tickle
English vanity and please English rulers,
but could never prove really advantageous
to the great body of English people.
True prosperity here will advance pros
perity everywhere. An independent, pro-
gressive and prosperous people will be a
good worlds market at any and all
times.