River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-09-27
FREE TRADE THEORISTS Ex-
POSED.


sophistries OF the Enemies Of American
Industries shown Up by Themselves.
As regards the basic reasons for tariff
reduction, there are two divergent
schools of tariff reform in this country
--one school demanding reduction on
the plea that the tariff makes prices
higher to consumers: the other assert
ing that the efficiency of American
labor is so great that the tariff fails to
give the American producers an adj
vance of q single cent over European
prices. That the views urged by these
two schools often merge in one and the
same person must not be taken as i'm
dieating that the person is a fool, but
that his brain has become so accus-
toned TO fetish worship that he is eager
to guip down anything which is offered
in the supposed interest of his god.
Those who belong to the latter of the
above schools, and loudly maintain
that American labor needs no protec-
tion, have a hard row to hoe. Among
the most prominent OF these are J. Il.
Sargent and Jacob Schoenhof. two free
trade authorities. In this letter l
merely desire TO print what these gem
cross-examinatiUn The following con-
versation took place between Mr.. Sar-
gent and one of the commissioners at
hearing given by the tariff commission
on August %, 1SS2:
The Witness-Well, sir, without
being able t. go into details just now,
can only say that | am perfectly sat
isfied as to where the trouble is. and
am fully convinced that the price of
labor would. under reduced tariff, drop
with the price of goods, and at the
same time the cost of living would oe
reduced.
Commissioner Amber In other
words you would contemplate being
able to keep mp your competition with
foreign manufacturers first. by a re-
duction of the cost of raw material. and
second, by a corresponding reduction
of the cost of labor?
The Witness-Labora and all expenses
Commissioner Ambler-Well. ''all ex-
penses' is labor, in point of fact, is it
not? 1t may be clerical. or it may be
mechanical labor. but it is still labor.
The Witness-Yes.
On February 81. 1884, before the Nor
rison ways and means committee, the
following dialogue took place between
Mr.. Schoenhof and eX-Congrcssman
William A. Russell, of Massachusetts:
Mr. Schoenhof-For instance, the
shawl industry.
Mr.. Russell-You think that that
industry is not fully protected now?
MIR. Schoenhof- fine goods have
very little protection because the labor
in them costs more. In these
hand-formed goods we have no en-
enlargement on this side because hand
labor is so high that il is absolutely
impossible for us to compete with the
foreign goods in this market.
Mr.. Russell-Do you think that the
existing duty is now sufficient for that
class OF manufactured goods?
Mr.. Schoenhof-lIardly.
Mr. Russell-Then the proposed re-
duction of 20 per cent. on the existing
rate of duty would be very serious
matter to them?
Mr.. Schoenhof-Yes
These startling talks dug from the
archives of the past may be found ON
page COG of the report of the tariff com
mission, and page AZ, ways and means
committee hearings, 1884. They would
make a good insertion for a campaign
document. GEo. ALLEN WHITE.
Farminpham Mass