Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-12-03

IW1uty Anou9Huu UuitHr1 Eur kxot~1NAVH
That CompeIs Americans 20 Pay Higher
Prices For Goods Than Foreigners.
Hamilton Disston, " Phiiadelphie,
who paid $40. 600 In 1883 to the tepub-
Iican campaign corruption fund to have
the duty on saws increased, and who
foolishly invested $4,000 more this
year for the same purpose, is the largest
manufacturer Of saws in the world.
His aaws, dles and tools go everywhere.
This seems strange. II he cannot pay
American wages aud compete with the
'pauper goods" of Europe In our own
markets without protection, how can
he compete without protection in South
America, Australia and Europe? The
ans sger is simple enough he could COM
pete here without protection but "he
don't have to-" Without protection his
profits from American sales would be
about the same as from foreign sales;
now they are much greater. Without
protection he might have been mil
lionaire or two or three-millionaire
but he could not have been a ten-mil-
lionaire as now.
The facts are that Mr.. Disston puts
his prices down in the open markets,
down far below what he charges for
the same articles in the United States,
where he says he has to have protec-
ton in order to keep up the pay Of his
workmen, down even below the prices
fixed by the Sheffield and other foreign
manufacturers, driving them out of the
market and practically monopolizing
the saw trade Of the world. The fact
that he is constantly reaching out after
more of that foreign trade proves con-
clusively that he finds 1t not entirely
Improbable. Spear g. jackson, of
Sheffield, England, are perhaps the
next largest manufacturers of saws and
files, and are the Disston's principal
competitors in the markets of the
world, but they find it very uphill work
trying to undersell them in foreign
markets.
Copies of Henry Disston & Sons
wholesale price list, with discounts, for
use in the United States, and copies of
their price list and discounts for the
foreign markets tell an interesting tale.
For instance they show that 24-inch
solid-tooth circular saw, which sells at
retail in the United States for $12, and
is sold to the hardware dealers at As per
cent. and 10 per cent off, or 1894, is
sold to the dealer at the other side of
the world for S.. 40, or 10 per cent. less.
A similar saw, SO inches in diameter, is
wholesaled at home at 5000, and in
foreign countries for 1856.
Another article, one that every car
penter in the world uses, is a hand-saw.
Disston & Sons make great many of
them, but they have one, 26-inch saw,
which they describe in their American
catalogue as ''the finest hand-saw man.
ufactured." This saw is put down to
the home trade dealer at $50 dozen,
with 20 per cent and 10 per cent off,
or $21. 80. while abroad it is sold at the
same price with As per cent. off, or for
$16. so.
Quite difference, that, in the price
of a dozen hand-saws-s5.1 10, nearly so
cents a saw. What is the result? The
hardware dealer in Rio Janeiro or Auck-
land can sell that saw for 81 in Ameri-
can money and make 81 so dozen. or
90 cents dozen less than the American
hardware dealer makes selling the same
saw at 81 each. The foreign prices
quoted are the prices packed and deliv-
cred on board ship. The articles mem
toned were taken at random from the
long list of goods sold by Disston &
Sons. Compared article by article the
lists show difference of from 10 to 25
per cent in favor of the foreign pur-
chaser.
Can any carpenter in this protected
land tell why he should be compelled to
pay 50. so for q hand-saw made here at
his own door when the same article
may be sold at an almost equal profit in
South America or far-off Australia for
50? And if these saws can be sold at a
profit for $3.50 dozen in the open
markets of the world, why cannot it be
done here at home?