The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-09
CALL orr STEVENSON.

The Democracy would do well to call
of General" Stevenson as campaign
orator, if he is likely to be followed by .
Republican of sound intelligence. Steven
son recently inquired ''if the removal OF
the tariff tax upon sugar lessons its cost,
why would not the same result follow a
reduction of tariff taxes upon all the other
necessaries of life?''
Stevenson evidently does not know the
purpose of a protective tariff. In 1903 JEFF
ferson said: my own idea is that We
should encourage home manufactures to
the extent of our own consumption Of
everything Of which We raise the raw ma
terials." Again he wrote: ''Shall we
make our own comforts or 60 without
them at the will of a foreign nation 2" He
answered the question by saying that he
was proud to say that he was not one Of
those who believed in being dependent
upon q foreign nation when it could be
avoided"
For q century we tried to raise sugar,
but found we could not produce one-tenth
part OF our own consumption, so we placed
sugar on the free list for the same reason
that We placed tea and coffee on the free
list. A duty placed on sugar, tea and cof-
fee would be for revenue only; it would
only increase the price to the consumer
without any hope Of reduction by home
competition. So under protective tariff
non-competitive articles, like sugar, tea
and coffee, that we cannot hope to produce
to the extent of our home consumption, we
placed on the ''free list" Duties would
only increase the price to the American
consumer without increasing domestic
sugar growing and reducing tho price by
home competition.
In 1870 We were dependent on Great
Britain for steel rails. and the price there
was sl07 per ton. Congress placed duty
OF $2S on imported steel rails. This en-.
abled the industry to be established in
this country, and now steel rails sell for
s3O ton and we do not import any. In
1882 there was a revenue duty of cent q
pound son steel nails, and they sold for
eS cents per pound. They were imported
from England. as our manufacturers could
not compete. under that duty. with the
cheap labor of England. In 1883 pro-
tectiye duty Of cents a pound as I'M.
POSED by congress ON these nails. As a re-
SUIT steel wire nail, q much better
article, is now sold for 6-10 cents pound,
whereas SM cents was charged for
poorer article under the revenue tariff.
And $4,000 men have been given employ
ment at So day in this business.
Prior to 1884 no soda ash was made in
this country. and the price was $48 q ton.
Congress put duty of IS ton on this ar
ticle, and it was produced at home and the
price went down nearly one-half. Prior to
1883 the farmers were dependent ON foreign
mills for binding Irvine. and the price was
IL cents pound. A protective duty was
imposed, the industry was domesticated,
and now the farmer buys the home product
at almost one-third the price he formerly
paid to the foreigners. Cotton ties were
nearly all imported prior to the passage
OF the Mckinley bill, when the duty was
made protective. Now they are made
at home and the price has declined 10 cents
bundle.
These tariff facts illustrating the power
OF protection to reduce prices by its pro-
motion of home competition were recited
by Governor Mckinley, of Ohio, over and
over again in his great debate with Gov
ernor Campbell in October, 1891. Tin
plate is taking the same course as steel
rails, wire nails, salt, ETC., as General"
Stevenson will be sharply reminded if he
again asks an intelligent Western audience
the ignorant question We quoted at the
outset of this article.