Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-06
SENATOR ALDRlcH's FIGURES.
Remarkable Example of His Ability
JugSler of Numerals.

A Remarkable Example of His Ability
as n Jugs,er of Numerals.
In his speech before the great high
tariff banquet in New York, Senator
Aldrich attempted to prove the absurd
proposition that protection promotes for
eign trade, and in doing so he jugeled
with figures in surprising manner.
He stated that under revenue ta riff
our exports increased from $50, 900 600
in 1917 to only $205, ZOO, 900 in 1860. The
senator must have made this statement
with honest intent, but he is in error.
Our exports in 1860 We're S316, 900. 900.
The figures he gives are for 1861, after
the high tariff had already begun to
operate. In 1861, too, there were no re-
turns of exports for about seven mon tbs
from the seeded states. The cotton
crop was being exported during the first
half of 1861, and it is calculated that not
less than 1,100,000,000 pounds, worth
SIPS, 900, 900, was shipped from southern
ports In that time, of which no returns
were made to the authorities at Wash
lngton. Add this item alone, and the
exports of 1861 were over $3.50, 10000
Furthermore, Senator Aldrich should
have chosen the year 1916, the last year
of the high tariff of 1s43, with which to
begin his comparison. During seven
months of the year 1S47 the tariff of 1876
was IN. force, and exports had already
been largely increased under its opera
tons. Making these corrections the COM
parlson would then be fair one, bein g
a comparison of the exports of the last
year of high tariff period with those Of
the last year of low tariff period.
With these changes the account Of
American exports stands thus:
In 1916, high tariff exports. slc.ooOOoo.
In 1850, low tariff exports, S3l6,00OOOO; il
crease, 2l2 per cent
In 1874, high tariff exports, S569, 1000 900; in
crease, 50 per cent
In 1850, more high tariff exports, Ssi5.OOo,oOCs
increase, 40 per cent.
These figures show that in thirty years
of high protection exports have not in
creased so rapidly as under fourteen
years of low tariff.
Senator Aldrich also tries to show thai
our commerce per capita has increased
faster under the high tariffs since the
war than in the low tariff period be
fore the war. But the commerce per
capita in 1876 was 81; in 1860 it was
So. "A, an increase of 12O per cent; in
1890 under protection it was $2S. 90, an
increase Of only 16 per cent in thirty
years, and this in a period when
improved transportation had lowered
freights to a wonderful extent.
In the matter of exports alone per cap
ita the figures are also very decidedly
against Senator Aldrich. In 1916, under
protection, our exports per capita We're
s.; in 1860, under low tariff, SO, an
increase Of 100 per cent. in fourteen years;
IN 1890, under high protection, S13. so. an
increase of only 35 per cent in thirty
years.
Such are the actual figures. The
merest schoolboy can Judge whether our
exports tend to increase when we buy
freely the goods of foreign countries.
These figures are full of food for thought
to the farmer; they will suggest to him
the ways and means to "open a market
for another bushel of wheat and another
barrel of pork"