The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-22
Foreign Im,ort.r. Paw the Tariff.

4
There is not q well established indus
try in this country competing with Bri-
fish manufacturers IN the same line that
has not reduced prices to the consumers
in this country. We can testify from
personal observation on this subject, for
We spent five years at British port in
daily administration of the tariff laws,
and know just how they operate upon
prices abroad. In every line OF goods
manufactured in Great Britain and ex-
ported to this country in competition
with American manufacturers the for
eign manufacturer pays all or the larger
portion OF the import duty. Every bust
ness day for five years we saw this done.
The rule is that all invoices for such
goods are made out in the home marke.
price-the law requires this-then a
discount equal to the import duty is
taken from the aggregate amount OF the
invoice. You can readily know just
what the import duty is on such goods
by the discount made on the invoice
prices.
It is a mistake to suppose there is any
fixed price on British goods sold for
consumption in the American market.
The prices vary from their own market
prices Just in proportion to the competi-
ton they have to meet in the American
market. We knew pig iron to rise in
the Glasgow market four shillings per
ton in one day on false report that the
import duty in this country had been re-
| luced to that extent. The
next day when the mistake
was corrected the price fell off again.
The case OF the Sheffield cutters ought
to be known by every one. they system
atically sold their goods to American
buyers at 20 per cent. less than they did
to home purchasers. and demanded that
I import duties becOllected on this reduced
price. They openly proclaimed that this
reduction was necessary in order to en-
able them to sell their goods in this
| country and meet American competition.
| II it had not been for this competition
they would have charged Americans a.
much as they did their English custom
ers. And this is the practice Of all the
British marufacturs, it is American
competition they fear, and they fight
American tariffs only because they en-
| courage and create American COMPETE
ton and thus compel them to sell at a
reduced price. We have repeatedly
heard British manufacturers declare
that il government protection were
withdrawn from American Industries
| they would break down every compel
ing industry in this country in five years
and then sell their goods to Americans
at their own prices-having the mono
poly in this market
| We sill give an instance out of very
many which fell under our personal OBJ
servation of the way in which compete
ton in this country lowers the price o
goods to consumers. A large firm il
Glasgow we're manufacturing a certain
style OF goods which were not made in
this country, and were selling them tC
American buyers at four shillings pei
yard. They had then. of course, nc
competition in this country. Our gov
| eTument placed duty OF 30 per cent. or
| these goods, and that induced a firm in
| New York to commence the manufacture
OF the same class of goods. The New
York firm placed their goods on the
market at the same pi ice, one dollar or
four shillings per yard. The Glasgow
house met this competition by a reduc-
ton in their price of 80 per cent to
American purchasers. In little while
the New York house dropped to eighty
five cents. The invoice prices of the
Glasgow house then showed sales to
American purchasers at two shillings or
fifty cents per yard. The 30 per cent.
import duty induced the New York firm
TO start in the business; then the COM
petition between the competing houses
reduced prices until within one year the
goods dropped from one dollar to eighty
FIVE cents per yard in the New York
market. Then who paid the import
duty? Why, all that was paid was by
the Scotch manufacturers, the American
consumer buying cheaper than before
the duty was imposed. -Exchange.