Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-01-14
A TEST OF TARIFF.
Some Examples That shine for Protec-
inn

ton
In the last twenty years the cotton man
ufacture IN Europe has gained o7par cent.
or has not quito doubled. But In this
country it has gained 1877 per cent. nearly
twice as much European consumption In
1901 was more than four and half
times that Of this country, but now it is
not quite three times Then the United
States consumed ,109, 600 bale of 400 lbs.
and Europe 4. 958, 900; now this country
consumes 2958, 900 and Europe 8,S45 900
such bales. What an answer this Is to the
pretense that this manufacture needs free
trade and is being killed by protection.
Even within the last ten wears European
consumpt iou has gained 81 per cent, but
American 80 per cent.
Yet this comparison is not fair to pro.
lection, for the main increase In Europe
has occurred, not in free trade Great Brit
ain. out In Germany and other countries
which since 1871 have protected their In.
dustries. The g.eat manufacturing ma
tions of the continent began effectively
to protect about twenty gears ago. In the
first decade their growth was more than
double that of Great Britain, but neither
gained a5 much as this country IN the same
ten years. Great Britain gained u per
cent. the continent SIS per cent, but tn
United States 81 per cent. In that decade
the manufacture here was etfeCtualy shut
ting out foreign products. taking the home
market for itself, and has ,lnce grown with
the growth Of TIE home mfrket and conse-
uuentlv at lower rate. Yet during the
last decade Great Britain has gained only
q per cent. the United States 80 per
x,o,,i,, t,r-ioa ,l1Iob
and the continent SO per cent
The explanation is that the continent
has been Wrestling trade In other markets
away from CfeaI Britain The Britieh
rate of increase, it may be noticed, was q
per cent. during the first decade IN spite
of continental competition, but only Il per
cent. in the second. Had both increased
alike, the continent would have consumed
$50 900 bales less cotton, anu Great Britain
that much more, and this difference has
enabled the continental manufacture to
grow faster than the American, even
while the manufacture In this country has
gained more than that of France, Great
Britain included. Twenty years ago the
British manufacture consumed 2,S05 600
bales, against l LOG, coo in this country, or
more than Is bales for every 10 consumed
here Now it consumes 4,3l9 900 bales,
against 1855, 600 in the United States, or
less than Is fer every 10 consumed in this
country That is our test OF protection
against free trade. Twenty years ago
Great Britain consumed nearly Is bales
tor every 10 consumed on the continent
Now it consumes less than 10 for every 10
consumed on the continent, for the con-
tinental consumption is 4 ,527 900, and the
British only 4,3lS,0 600 bales. That is a
second test of protection against free
trade
Yet the American manufacture Is Just
now passing through period of recogni-
ton which, at the cost of no little present
depression, leads to greater prosperity.
The manufacture at the south Is taking
the work ofsp:nning the coarser fabrics,
while the older mills in the northern
states are gradually developing the manu-
facture of finer fabrics than were ever
made here before. In little while the
expansion of the manufacture In that re.
Spect will cut off another tax hitherto paid
to foreign nations. for America sent them
nearly $50, 600, COO for cotton goods in
each of the last TWO years. At the same
time the manufacture here will compete,
as It has never competed before, in other
markets of the world. and particularly in
those of Central and South America, cut
ting down the demand for cotton goods
from Great Britain and also from the
continent.