The Forrest City times., 1891-09-18
HAPPY ABOUT PORK.
Inconsistent Protcctionists Rejoice that
 Germany win Buy Our Pork.

A
 Germany win Buy Our Pork.
 The protectionists arc making merry over the removal of the prohibition of American pork by Germany. In their glee. however, they are overturning many of their favorite idols of econ omic heresy.
 They are showing. for example, that it will make market for from Sl0, O00,- 900 to S20, 00O,000 more of American pork; and in putting this down as so much gained, they neglect to make any deduction whatever for the German duty on pork. According to the oft repeated teaching of our high-tariff wiseacres, "the foreigner pays the tax" in this country. But if the foreigner pays the tax when we import from Flu rope, then we must pay tariff taxes in Europe whenever Europe imports from us
 Now Germany has tax on pork and bacon of more than cents Q pound. Are farmers ready to pay that tax in order to sell their hog meat? That is what they must do if there is any truth in what the wise Republican editors so often tell us Look into the editorial columns of the New York Tribune and other high tariff papers, and you will find frequently assertions of this princi- pie: When we put duty on foreign goods there Is no increase oi the price of those goods in our own market since tho Europeans are compelled by our tariff to reduce their prices by tho amount of the duty.
 It Is poor rule that will not work both ways; and what is sauce for the European goose must also be sauce for hn A vRa rar rHn nu0 farmers will see that German law makers with this brilliant protcctionist theory in their heads, must argue In this way: "We have put duty of moro than two cents pound on pork, but that does not make 1t any higher to German buyers, since the American farmers have had to knock of moro than two cents pound from their price, and thus pay our tariff tax"
 This Is an exact reproduction of the argument" so often made by our pro- tectionists Now, ono question for theso protectionists: If you believe your own teaching, why do you rejoice over tho fact that the American farmers will have to take two cents pound less for all the pork they send to Germany?
 The protectionst organs are pointing out too. the benefits which both coun- tries are to get by the renewal of trade In pork. Not simply America but Ger many, too. is to be benefited
 But this knocks down another protec- tionist idol Have we not heard over and over again that when nation im- ports what 1t can produce itself and Is producing, there Is loss to the commu- nifty? Labor, the high tariff wiseacres assure us, is made poorer by every pound of competing foreign goods brought in. But Germany produces a very large number of swine; and 1t was to protect these that Bismarck prohibit ed our pork upon pretended sanitary grounds. Notwithstanding this excellent opportunity to apply their native grown American theory on German soil, our high tariff organs are actually claiming that Germany will be much benefited by taking our pork.
 When they make this statement they forget also that other cardinal principle of the protectionist crew. viz, that when you buy an article made at home you make profit and the seller makes 8 profit, and thus you keep two profits at home; but when you buy foreign arti- cle only ono profit stays in the country. This is venerable protectionist teach ing, but they shrink from applying 1t to Germany. They reserve 1t for use upon homegrown American fools
 But our protectionists arc right for once Get them of American soil and they throw their theories to the winds and indulge themselves in the unwontcd exercise of ordinary common sensc Tho American farmer will not pay tho Ger man tax; and our pork Is really good for Germany. They sec It.