New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-13
for agriculture would inevitably tend to lessen
the dangers OF spring floods.
PROTECTION WTrHOUT HIGHER PRICES


PROTECTION WTrHOUT HIGHER PRICES
A sober and reasonable answer on the tarf
ouestion in 1.-THE Journal of Commerce ais
putcs certain positions taken by TIE TRIBUNE
but is especially noteworthy for the following
admission: .n.
The assertion in The Tribune that when a country
like the United states levIeS protective d'ues III ''o
interest Of manufactures which are produced al hoc'
price, are not ultimately Increased but "".'','
d,mnI she'd and the is not taxed VIII ''He
a prcat many people By surprise but ther' Is "'hc
truth In II.
No one should be taken by surprise by
statement which has been for many years 'he
foundation of reasoning in behalf OF the iro-
tective policy. There is cause for SURPRISE III
tho fact that this same statement has been so
often cnorantly denied even by men so ex-
oltcd in postion as cx-Presidcnt Cleveland. who
have committed themselves to the absurd the
orv that "thc duty is always added to the price
Maid by consumers" Proofs by the thou
sand have been submitted to tho public; III
stances in great number OF reduction IN price
following increase in duties. as in worSfedS and
cutlery within the last few years ana others III
great number Of selling prices in this country
actually less than tho duty charged on CORE
snonding articles imported The wonder is
that all other journals Of ability have not saved
their reputation by admitting. rs "The Journal
If Commerce. does, that the FrccTradc the
oIy is mt war with the facts.
But that journal proceeds TO claim that
manufacturers are not benefited, un-
less it puts up the market price, an increase
of duty is no protection at all" This is an
unfoundcd assumption which is unworthy OF
candid and capable rcaSoncr though it lies mt
the bottom Of nearly all the faacics of FREQ
Traders. Here again facts must he recognized
n more convincing than abstract theories.
Thousands of cases can be recalled in which
the home manufacture has been greatly slim
ulatcd and widely extended without any ad-
vance in prices whatever. No one denies that
the manufacture of wOrstcds and of better
grades Of dress goods than were formerly pro-
duccd in this country has been thus stimulated
by the new tariff. 1t is admitted by the ablcst
observers of the drygoodS market that the
American fabrics of these descriptions offered
within the last year have been much superior
To any produced in this country before ana
that the production and sale have exceeded all
expectations, crowding many qualities OF Tor
cign goods completely out OF the market. Yet
there has been no advance in prices. The con-
stlmcrS in this country pay not cent more, but
in many cases actually less, than they paid for
similar goods before.
Nor is the explanation hard to find Until
protected by adequate duties, the American
manufacturer did not dare to invest large sums
in machinery and in new forms of production
because he was well aware that foreign makers
could at any time drive him ont of the market
as 10 such goods by sacrificing part for the
whole Of their profits But the instant he was
assured that the foreign competition could he
successfully resisted, he was quick 10 seize the
offered control of the hcmc market, and in
almost every instance without asking any ad-
vance in price, began 10 supply goods equal on
superior To those formerly imported. The Ger
tainty Of enormous home competition arrested
anv disposition t. advance prices. while the
opportunity to command the greatest and most
profitable market in the world was powerful
stimulus to enterprise.
These are not empty theories, evolved from
tho inner consciousness of men who never sec
what is going on around them. il would well
become 1.-THE journal Of Commerce with ts
honorable and long maintained reputation Tor
knowledge Of the drygoods business. To admit
with candOr that in this test also F"c-IIade
IDEAS have been demolished by the facU of
daily experience. Protection does not consist
in raising prices II is absurd sclf-dcccption 10
say that there can be no protection unless prices
for consumers are raised Manufacturers all
know better. and dealers by the thousand have
been taught the truth within the last year.