The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-19
FACTS. NOT THEORIES.
Readers Should study Vague theories II
nnd the Do.uilr OF Industrie'' alarlSo

Readers Should study Vague Theories Less
md the Details OF Industries, Markets,
60, More.
The Ee4s YorE Prs's
Mr.. T. n. Finlayson, of Amsterdam,
n. Y, writes letter to the Pres asking
how We reconcile our statement that
protective duties cheaper prices with
tho increase in protective duties during
Tie last thirty years. Mr.. Rinlayson
says: 49,, /.
fevenuc basis was declared TO be neces-
sary to equalize tho competition OF Tor
eisn and home industries in our own
markets, and year after year pnolec-
tionists have pointed to the prosperity
OF the United States to show that this
end had been attained. During this
period, however. although domestic
prices have undergone steady decline
protective duties have been raised at
successive intervals higher still, specific
as we'll as ad valorem. 1t Is true COM
peting prices abroad have also fallen,
but not in greater proportion than here.
To say that protective duties lower
prices, and then after years OF rigorous
TARIFF and descending prices, to urge
and uphold further increase in these
duties, is species Of consistency COM
mon minds fail TO appreciate. 1t IS
needless to add that It also forever de.
stroys tho ptetense that tho object OF
protective duties is to equalize indus.
trial conditions"
Mr.. Finlayson, like most OF the OBJ.
jectors to protection, argues in the most
general sort OF language, apparently
without recognizing the facts that We
have vast diversity OF industries; that
some are protected and some not; that
some OF the protected industries are pro.
tectod only as to certain grades of their
products that tho protected grades OF
product are protected only partly. that
Is, only so far as to give our producers
q part of the home market; that many.
products are the raw materials of other
products, and in short that the ques-
ton cannot be settled by tho applica-
ton OF n single vague theory to 1t with
an expectation TINT the results will be
"eXactly'so
For example, tho decline Of prices in
the lower grades OF iron and WOODEN
products, which were protected bofore
tho Mckinley bill, while prices did not
declins so much in the higher grades,
both showed that increased protection
for tho higher grades waa demanded,
and that It would likewise work well in
bringing lower prices to the consumer.
The decline OF prices OF coRrser cot
ton goods under protection was an eS-
cellent reason for protecting the flax
aAd linen industries as we'll as fine cot
ton, with the expectation that these in
dustries, too, would be developed here.
Tho fact that wages tended to in
crease in the protected industries las
admitted by Gen. Francis A. Walker,
himself free trader, in his Political
Economy" advanced course, section
263) was an excellent reason for pro-
tecting other industries and other
branches of the same industries in the
interests OF the American wageworker,
and "equalizing industrial conditions"
as far as possible by distributing. the
demand for labor over as many points
Of production rs possible.
Mr.. Finlayson should study vague
theories less, and the details Of indus
tries and markets Of wages and grades;
OF products, exports and imports more.