Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-09-13
AN ABSURD POSITION.
THE HIGH TARIFF STAND GNTEN-
ABLE IN ANY CASE,

The: Protection Orators Assert Facts
Which Arc Exactly the Reverse OF
What the sIcKinIey Bill Is Alleged 60
AccompIIsh-Betwe Two Fires.
The speech of Senator Aldrich, .'The
Tariff Act of 1890 Defended - merits the
comment conveyed by the saying of
Shakespeare. The lady doth protest too
much" Senator Aldrich endeayored in
it to show that the tariff act of 1890 was
not only successful embodiment of
Republican principles, but also won
derful illustration of practical states
manship. As he said in his speech, its
purpose was .sto provide for the better
security and the greater development of
American industries = and he insisted
that it had ''quickened the pulsation of
trade, giving new impetus to agricul-
ture as well as to manufacture and COM
merce."
A part of his address was taken up by
an effort to demonstrate that the prices
of commodities are lower in this year,
1892, than they were in 1889 or 1890; and
to furthermore show that the popular
opinion concerning the formation of
combines and trusts was delusive, and
that the hemanufacturers themselves were
believers in low prices, he had sent a
large number of letters to the repre-
sentatives of different classes of indus
try, asking whether the business in
question was controlled by trust. and
what the effect of such combination
had upon competition and the prices of
product.
Now it seems to be sufficiently evident
that if the effect of the Mckinley law
has been to reduce the prices of commo-
dities to the American consumers, it has
failed of the project that its promoters
intended.
To give few illustrations: OF castor
oil it is said, "The margins of profit in
the manufacture of the article arc at
present not only about nil, but in many
cases the article is sold Mt an absolute
loss" Buttons" one of the manufac-
turers does not hesitate to say, "were
never lower in our market than at the
present time"
OF edge tools it is said ''they are lower
than ever in price" The manufacturers
of glass admit that they have combined,
but this action was forced upon theme Sto
save themselves from bankruptcy. The
manufacturers of galvanized iron assert,
1--WE are worse off now under the Nc
Kinley bill than before its passage"
The representative of the Strap and
Hinge association asserts that they 'sare
selling goods at the cost of lnanufac
ture." ttLime," we are told by repre-
sentative of the Rockland makers, s'has
sold 10 per cent. lower ever since the
duty was increased" OF linseed oil the
statement is made that ''the prices are
so low that for some years past little if
any money has been made by it's manu-
facturers."
OF locomotive ties, another of Senator
Aldrichs correspondents asserts, "Prices
have been ruinous for good many
months" Sanitary pottery ware '.is
lower than it was in 1891" OF starch
we are told ''the present prices are too
low to afford any profit to the manufac-
turer." The prices of steel and iron
tubes are CLOVER today than ever before
in the history of our country, )" while
window glass "has been sold ut less
prices than before the Mckinley bill
was passed"
If this is the way the pulsations of
trade are to be quickened, a new inn
petus given to manufacture and com
merce, and the claims and expectations
of the trainers of the measure are more
than realized, it might well be asked
what different results would a protec-
ZIONIST expect to ensue from the adop-
ton of q system of free trade? These
various great and prominent industries
are having under the Mckinley regime,
we are officially informed, struggling
and on the whole disastrous experience.
The conclusion is forced that either
the Mckinley law has proved, in the
case OF large number of domestic in
dustries, a highly objectionable meas
ure or that the statements made by
these various manufacturers and printed
as part of Senator Aldrich's speech,
are-well- misleading. Ones confidence
in the ingenuousness of these gentlemen
is little shaken by the statements
made by number of them concerning
their participation in trusts or combina-
tions. The representatives of nearly
hundred alleged trusts were written to.
There were some omissions-such, for
example, as sugar-but only one of the
repliers had the frankness to state that
a combination had been formed by his
trade for the purpose of putting up
prices ana lnlk1nS money.
With the others there WAS either de-
NAL of any combination whatsoever or
it was said that theirs was an associa-
ton formed for the purpose of obtaining
statistics, acquiring information, regu-
lating the standard of goods, discharg-
ing superhuous agents and clerks, and
all this with the main object of lower
ing prices. In fact, the lowering of
prices seems to have been the chief OBJ
ject Of solicitude on the part Of Senator
Aldrich's correspondents. This is SO
completely in accord with the dictates
of human nature and the experiences
that one has in everyday business life
that we congratulate the senator from
Rhode Island on the highly satisfactory
and representative character of the gem
tlemen from whom he has obtained such
valuable information. Boston Herald.
Just Plain, Downright Robbery.
The worst feature of tariff protection
is that the schemers who are to be bene-
Isa- -