The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-08
HIGH TARIFF AND Low PRICES.

Our protectionist neighbor INDUCES
in another of its contradictory disser-
tations on the tariff, the chief purpose
| of which appears to be to convince
The Herald that a high tariff reduces
the price of commodities. But at the
same time it contends that the cause
which produces those low prices makes
high prices for wool. How that hap
pens it does not attempt to explain.
Indeed, there is not much explanation
about its attempt, but rather indul-
gence in its common splitting of spite
and venomous expressions.
Where our unpleasant neighbor found
anything in The Herald as 10 the
price of salt in connection with the
tariff, we do not know A little more
salt appears necessary to keep the
Tribune from decay. Its elaboration
lof the subject of salt manufacture is
entirely outside of anything The Her
aid has advanced on this question.
But here is something which none of
the high protectionists have been able
to make clear to common folks. If the
effect of protective tariff is to re-
duce prices. and through it's opera
tons they have been brought down so
low that i'll many cases the home
goods are sold for less than the duty
on the foreign article, what is the good
of the duty, and why keep up the
tariff? And if prices have been so re-
duced, as claimed, through the opera
tons of the tariff, what was the sense
of McKinleyism in putting up duties
higher than they ever were before?
The ayowed object of protection is
to raise the cost to the consumer of
imported articles, so that the Ameri-
can manufacturer may be protected
Where is his protection, but in the
opportunity afforded him of charging
as much for his productions as the
cost of the foreign article with the
duty added? If that is not the pur-
pose of high tariff it is not protec-
ton.
The improvements in machinery and
the facilities for manufacturing which
have increased with experience and
the skill acquired by intelligent prac-
tice for years. both by employers and
employees, have lessened the price of
great many commodities They could
be put on the market at a much
cheaper rate, with fair profits TO the
capitalists. IL it were not for the pro
lection afforded them by high tariff.
That enables them to charge higher
prices for their wares than they would
dare to do if the tariff was lowered or
taken off the class of goods they sell.
These are simple facts that anybody
can understand. But who can see any
sense in putting a high duty on
given import il the same class of ar
ticle can be produced and sold here
Tor less than the duty? If it is true,
as protectionists claim. that this is the
case, where is the excuse for not only
retaining the duty but making it high
er, as in the Mckinley bill2
Further. If the workings of protec-
ton have been to bring down prices,
why are manufacturers and their Re-
publican protectors so averse to lower
ing the tariff? If the higher the tariff
the lower the price of commodities,
then the lower the tariff the higher the
price of commodities, and the greater
the profits of the class which the Re-
publican party desires TO protect.
The truth is that the protection argu-
ment lacks an essential feature-truth
as its foundation. Its supporters kill
their own arguments. That is one rea-'
son why some of them, our morning
contemporary. for instance. cannot
put a case or reply to an opponent
without becoming abusive: they find
themselves in a corner and SO get spite
full and vituperative
Tariff reform is a necessity Of the
times. Il is at hand. All the anger
and nonsense of the protectionists will
avail nothing. When it has had time
to bring forth its benefits the coun-