New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-16
THE "QUESTION CLUE AGAIN
cpoH TO THE FRONT ONCE MORE, AND
WANTING TO KNOW, YOU KNOW.
Az AWFUL ILLUSTRATION OF HOW HARD 1T Is
TO MAKE A MAN UNDERSTAND WHEN
lie DOES NOT WANT TO.
fFrom The Weekly Tribunc.)

(From The Weekly Trfbune)
TO tho Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: As the Hon. r. G. lIoT kindly replica 10
nv questions behalf Of the Boston Question Club
please do the further Kindness to answer the ioi-
lowing:
/. Is not the manufacturers margin OF proht
wIdened In proportion his raw material Is cheaper
and his finished product dearer1
Q. II protective tariff really cheapcns things
should It not then be the heaviest raw materials
and lightest the finished product
8. Why did the Hon. william Mckinley say III
Is an anomaly and manifest wrong TO have "lower
duty tin plate Itself than on the sheet iron ana
steel Of which tin plate Is made" II the higher duty
(see Government edition of McKinleys speech OF MAY
Z. 1880. page lO). on these raw materials mas pro-
portionalIy cheapened them, and the lower duty on
tin plate left IL propor;ionally dearcr thus widening
the tin plate manufacturers margin OF profit
4. Why did Mr. Mckinley say Having increased
the duties ON WOOL we have increased the duties
on the product-(the manufactures Of wool)-to COM
pensate for the increased duty on the raw product
What need to compensate the manufacturers OF
wooens for an increased tariff woods. If it makes
wool cheaper instead OF dearerf How can this IN
creased tariff compensate the manufacturers Of
wOollens IL II does not enable them prop0rtonally
to increase the price of their products Why pile
on this inverted pyramid of everincreasjng com
pensang" tariffs, from the lowest grade Of all raw
materials up to the highest straits OF all finished
products page 81, until the exceptional case OF tin
plate becomes anomalous?
D. Why did Mr. Mckinley say: "When mcrclIih
disc is the cheapest, are the poorest, and the
most distressing experiences In the history OF our
country-aye, in all human history-have been when
everything lowest and cheapest measured by
gold, for everything the highest and dearest
measured by labor. We want no return OF cheap
times In own country?
g. Why refund to exporting manufacturers the duty
they pay on imported materials II that duty does
not increase the price of the finished product
T. Why domestic sugar producers gwen
bounty from treasury in lieu of the removed
sugar tar that tariff did not formerly enable them
to collect from much more than they could after
removal OF the duty? ID. WEBSTER GROH.
charlottesville. Nd, April 6. 1892.
] have printed the long letter from the former
nresident OF the Boston Question Club" simply
because it is fair sample Of the theOrizing habit
Of the ordinary free-trader. Mr. Groh has very
laboriously framed his questions, so as to add his
own argument TO each question. l desire that
he should understand in the outset that that
method of asking questions does not mislead me
in the least My time is largely taken up in
answering questions of people who are really
seeking information. / am well aware that in
this instance the writer seeks nothing of the
kind. lie is simply endeavoring to get his free
une: and he neither seeks cares for informa-
ton. He will pardon me if l suggest to him that
in his entire communication there is not single
practical suggestion
I would be very willing TO spend more time
answering such questions as these, were it not
FOR the fact that they usually come from people
who are so imbued with their own superior
methods of thinking as TO render them entirely
;mperyious 10 every statement of facts. l Will,
however take up these questions one by one, ana
will ask Mr. Groh, in all kindness. to divest him
self Of his preconceived notions, and to try and
see if he can possibly understand what mean by
NV ansvers / do not ask him to be convinced
that he is in the wrong. All ] ask is that he
shall try and comprehend the meaning of what
cay far enough 10 be able TO see that men may
differ from him upon this subject and still DC
passessed of common sense. Now 10 his queS
tions: ,o,,r
ais not the manufacturers margin of profit
u,;dened in proportion as his raw material is
cheaner and his finished product dearer =
IfI understand what is meant should answer
,ho question in the affirmative. 1t, however. leaves
,r, en- many elements which enter into the manu-
of goods that it has very little mean
inc manufacturer may have very low raw
material and may get very high price Tor his
finished product, and yet have no inargih Vi
rrof, NJ all The cost of labor, of machinery,
breokages. lack of the markets which would ehapie
liz, % RIM constantly-all these things must be
..Len into account before can tell whether
,he,e is any margin Of profit or not
II Mr. Groh means to ask simply this. whether
. ,ronufacturer of blankets will have better
sboyv 70 make profit on his goods II he uses wool
which costs only ten cents pound lhs'eau VI
wodi costing forty cents pound ana 'ne',, II
be can succeed in selling his blankets al Ten uo'
q nair. instead Of selling them for i've dohafs-
,,a, is whether his margin Of profit will not he
mole likely 10 be large If he realizes 'ne ui,''
.nce between ten cents and ten dollars. rather than
,hc difference between forty cents and five dolafS'
should say without hesitation, that, other things
being eoual his chances are better if he can use
ten cent wool and get ten dollars for his blankets
than if be should use forty cent wool and only
get five dollars for his blankets Let Us 'ne me-.
take il for granted that We are agreed upon 'hi'
one point.
HOW HE HATES raw MATERIALS.
. "Jf q protective tariff really cheapens
tbincs should it not then he heaviest on raw
materials. and lghtest on the finished pfoauc.s
This question cannot be answered by yes Va
@no- In the first place, confusion arises Ill ''I
use of tie terms raw material ana h''iSh''
product" The difficulty is that all IA" ma
tcral" used in manufacturing goods II Jus. 10
much finished product as are the goods Ihei'
is no such thing raw material III ""e
markets of the world which is not also fnlsheo
product Of its kind. ton Of pig iron is no
more raw material" than a ton OF steel ralis'
One is Just as much a finished product as inc
other. Both Of them are the natural element
iron. plus labor In the case Of the steel raiis'
IT. l,l,I tb. al 4
the case of pig iron. The raw material IN
both these articles is precisely the sane it docs
not exceed anywhere in the United States, fifty
cents a ton. When ton OF pig iron ~ manu-
featured il is Just as much finished ton OF
Mo iron rs is a ton Of steel rails finished ton
when completed
UJ,o roxt dificultv with this ouPstiOn is the