The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1893-05-19
SOUND DOCTRINES.


former, goes after the American EeOnomisf,
the paid organ of the Protective Tariff
League of New York city in The following
refreshing style:
The distressing vail Of anguish which
comes from the columns Of tie American
Economist Of the 21st Of April, describing
he devastation and ruin which are about
TO visit our beloved country if the proposed
tariff bi Of the Reform Club committee
should become law, seems to have definite
ly removed from the region of controversy
one of the questions which, during the
Of 1892, was most fercely de
bated. and that is whether the consumer
pays the tax. In this issue Of this valiant
defender Of our flag and our factories we
are told by representatives of optical impIe
ments, knitting-mills, gloves and mittens.
ivory cutters. lime and cement, silk. fax
and hemp, shirts aud collars, hosiery. man
ufsctures OF iron and steeI. knives. sheet
iron, flexible shafts. planning mills. and by
the professor emeritus Of American indus
try himself. William Mckinley, Jr., that
the passage Of this bill would close all the
manufacturing establishments in the Unit
ed States Of America, and that our hated
foreign rivals would supply our people with
substantially everything that is now pro-
duced In thsse various industries.
All these intelligent and disinterested
Witnesses assign the same cause. They one
and all declare that if the proposed bill
should pass all the articles in which they
are interested would be offered for sale to
our people at prices much lower than those
now ruling. with which they could not sf-
ford to compete. The notion, then. that
home competition will soon reduce the
price of protected article 50 that that the
domestic consumer shall be able to obtain il
at less than the foreign price may he dis
missed. II always was rejected By the free
traders; it Is now rejected by the American
Economist and IFS followers.
The demand. then, for the retention Of
the enormous rate Of duties now prevailing
can no longer De supported on the pretense
OF assisting infant industries. Il Is bold
declaration that the consumers Of this land
must for all time submit themselves to the
payment Of enormous tributes to cur manu-
facturers in order that these may live, move
and have their being and keep On the dec
lArziion Of that constant rate Of dividends
which Is essential to the respectable main
tenazoe Of all well ordered industries.
None-Of the contributors to the Econo-
mist seems to be willing for one instant 10
harbor the idea that in the great majority
of the. industries involved larger use of
improved nethois Of production and &
closer adherence 10 the careful and studied
economic. practioed ahroai wolii enable
them to successfully compete with theiF
foreign rivals on the lasis of the rates cen
tanned in the rev bill and in many case
without the advantage Of any duties what
ever.
Why is itthat Ia the prOiustion Of wheat
corn, cotton. tobacco. petrolenns. god. silver
and copper ne are enabled to pay eur work
men al rate. mnch higher than those pre-
vailing in. France. Germany. HasT or Rus-
sia- and somewhat higher than these pre-
Eailiug in England. and are yet enabled TO
export our products in large quantities and
sell them in foreign markets The Amer
lean Economis, will surely agree with u
in the answer tat it Is I-ecause Of the great
advantage tha: we nave in fertile land, n
mineral wealth. in diversified climate
coupled with an extensive and intelligent
use Of labor saving machinery. With the
aid Of these great resources We are enabled
to pay our workmen high wages. and vet
sell cur produc in competition with the for.
eign equivalent
Thr mere fact. thent that wages an
higher here than elsewhere does not AZ all
make. Competition with foreign producers
impossible Whenever the wealth of Oul
natural resources, the use Of our ingenious
machinery and the greater productive
power Of our workmen are sufficient Il
counserbaIance the difference in wages
| competition is not only possible but profit
able. When these circumstances do no
exist. competition Is neither possible mol
desirable. The industry can only be car
ried on at a loss. which must either be
borne by the manufacturer or collected By
forced tribute pail By the consumer.
American invention. thrift and intelh
gent labor can be safely trusted to oonduc
prcftabiy many manufacturing industrie.
which are 10 Il e manor born, which an;
nourished By cur natural resources ant
which are therefore, hardy and fruitful
just as our native trees are more vigoroa
and bear more pientifuliy than exotics.
| II we can manufacture and sellin Canad.
ccmpeti,ion with England, surely VI
can control cur own market at home. Il
the North American Review for January
1890, Mr. James G Blaine gave the follow.
ing list of manufactures which we sell il
Canada in successful competition with Eng
land: Brass goods, copper goods, cord
age, gingham. bottles. TASKS, India uhbe
goods, printing ink, ingram carpets, WOO
manufactures. twines, tinware, ship rig
ging. wall paper. writing paper. envelopes
blank books. straw board. boots and shoes
leather anu skins sole leather. leathe
goods, patent leather. figured oil cloth
grain drills, narrows, harvesters. hoe
forks, moving machines, scythes, spades
shovels, builders hardware. fails, frtarm
sewing machines. screws. stoves, axes, jew
elry, silverware. lamps, locomotives, hat
hammers. saws, machine tools, organI
pianos, notions. plain household furnitur'
especially hotel furniture.
Open, vigorous competition does not clio;
our factories, but teaches US how to me,
our rivals in the fields of industry. as v
have before>in all contests for supremacy Q
land and sea.
II the lamentations of the contributors
the Economist were not ludicrous they woul
make us ashamed of American ci,izensh
and cause us to lose all faith n the ind us