Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-07-08
A Candid Plowmaker.

In reply to inquiries from the
Boston Home Market Club, Mr.. A.
B. Farquhar of the Farquhar manu-
featuring firm of York, Pa. gives
series of striking illustrations of the
workings of the Home Market theory
that, as a means of enriching every
body, everything in the Home Mark
ct should be taxed. Mr.. Farquhar
makes plows. Some of them he sells
to the farmers of South America,
some to the farmers Of Illinois, Iowa
and Kansas.
He makes no pretense whatever
that under the Mckinley bill he sells
as cheap to the North American
farmer as to the South American.
On the contrary, he shows that it is
impossible to do so. 1T is quite
true he writes over his signature,
chat our firm sells implements and
machinery through Mexico, South
America and Africa at from 5 to 10
per cent. less than they are sold for
in this country" 1.-THE manufactur-
err" he adds, "who can export his
goods can have no use for protection
except to enable him to extort more
money from home purchasers than he
is able to get abroad"
About one-half of the product of
this firm is sold in the United States
at Mckinley prices, the other half
abroad at 8 to 10 per cent. less. In
explaining how tho Mckinley bill
gives foreigners the benefit Of this
discrimination, he writes:
Third-Tho reason we do not get as
good prices abroad as at home, Is that we
have to compete with countries having
the great advantage of free raw material
in their manufactures, and the further ad-
vantage OF better transportation facilities.
Great Britain, In pursuance OF her free
trade policy, has for years been extending
her foreign commences while we, pursu-
ing an opposite policy, have left her In
full possession. The Clyde ship yards
are open to every European investor who
wishes to start line OF steamers, while
we must satisfy ourselves with vessels
built at dozen disadvantages.
Fourth-Yes, we sell few goods In
England, France and Germany, but they
are made especially for those markets,
and 1t would be rather hard to compare
the prices with the American. They un-
doubtedly average lower for goods of
similar construction.
Fifth--The value of the raw material
| In pillow certainly averages more than
half It's total cost. We manufacture
thousands OF four-horse plows, for In
stance, for the African market, weighing,
"full-trimmed, with draught-rod, wheel,
cutter, two extra shares" boxed, about
200 pounds each. This pillow is delivered
on board vessels In New York for less
than $6-about the cost OF the material
in 1t II purchased ut retail prices.
Handles and beam, 81 90
Steel and iron, 200
Boxing, freight etc., 65
Total, $3 IS
leaving about 81 for cost of labor and
profit.
Sixth-The duty on our implements
and machinery Is not relatively higher
than upon other manufactures. need
not enlarge upon this, but may respect
fully refer you to the tariff schedule OF
1890"
SEVENTH would unhesltatingly favor
a repeal Of the duty on all the manufao-
tured goods we make. Since we can do
no export, the duty can be OF no possible
service; and since 1t tends to provoke re-
lations, we find 1t serious obstacle. Re.
ciprocity treaties covering our goods are
acceptable to us.
Eighth do believe that American
manufacturers generally would be able to
sell many more goods abroad than now II
they had free raw material. The import
alton Of this material would Of itself stim-
ulate O demand for American products
abroad. 1t is difficult to estimate the
percentage, but should expect an in
crease of at least 25 per cent.
However disgusting these answers
may be to the Boston Home Market
Club, they ought to be highly salts
factory to Western farmers who wish
to know why American plows and
other implements are sold cheaper to
foreigners than to Americans. As
long as the Mckinley bill IS in force
this is the only way they can be sold
to foreigners at all.-Ex.