The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-03-12
THE ISSUES OF THE DAY.
GOODS WHICH HAVE BEEN
CHEAPENED BY PROTECTION
Canada'> Trade Coming Oar Way-Wocl
and Revenue-Shoddy Imports-Home
Record for IS3I-Pertineut Suggestions
for the South-Iilustrations.
The Manner in Which the Tarin Lower.
FriceS


Prices.
70 TIL EpIloR OF THE TRIBUNE. sir:
In the Weekly Tribune of December -.
1891, t.. G.. IIorr says: lie also knows
that in i little While American ingenuity.
etc. etc. Will produce and sell cheaper 10
the final consumers than had the industry
never been established III This country.
He knows that these things Will follow be-
cause exactly such things have followed
III many hundred of instances" Will Mr..
ilOrr please name twenty or thirty of these
instances i'll which the consumers are now
getting products cheaper than they could
get them from abroad. if we had free trade =?
And also say why such products should
not now be admitted free. if we are now
underSeiiing the foreign articles at their
cost of production abroad3 am il strong
protectlonlst and hope your answer may
silence some carplng fools. Yours re-
SpecttllllN. EDWIN :. tOLLAMER.
WAsHINGToN. ID. C.. Dee. ~, 1891.
Mr.. COllamer calls upon me to name
twenty or thirty articles which consum-
ers are buying at a cheaper price than
they can buy them abroad, and asks if
we are now underseling the foreigne RS,
why should not all such articles be put
on the free list That, again, is precisely
the manner III which q free trader al
WAYS states the case. | am surprised
that a good protecuonist corild have
been deceived by free trade juggling of
words and induced to ask the question
in that form.
Let me repeat once more | am glad
to do it Just what protectionists do
claim. We claim that when we have
the materials in this country ont of
which to produce any given article
economically, or when We can get such
materials as cheaply as the foreign
manufacturers can, and when, owing TO
the cheap labor of the Old World.
which gives the foreign manufacturer
an advantage n cheap production, that
particular article has never been pro-
duCed in this country, III such a case,
understand, we claim that by placing a
duty on the imported article, at such a
rate as will make up for the difference
in the cost of labor and give our home
producers an advantage in our home
markets, then, by the leVying of such 81
duty, the industry will he built up in
the nited States; and this protection
always results III the production
and sale of TIE article at Il
price lower than it was selling
at when we levied the duty, and in all
probability lower than it wouId then he
selling at had we produced none of that
article in this country. Is not that q
definite proposition? Is it in any way
hard to comprehend? Is it true? That
proposition does not For moment claim
| that the foreign producers will not also
cheaper their price for the same article,
| If we cheaper the goods for our own
| consumers, the result IS that the price
| is cheapened all over the world. That
| fact is not to be urged against the pro-
! tective system, but should be named to
it's credit.
Now then, can ! name twenty or
thirty articles which are selling at a
lower price than they were when the
| duty was levied, and which have been
| constantly growing cheaper and
| cheaper, notwithstanding the duty ?
| Cnrtainlv | can IIerp Is he LIST