The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-03-02
FOREIGN COMPETITION.
Ex-speaker Reeds Figures an the Trade
situation.

Ex-Speaker Reeds Figures an the Trade
Situation.
The democrats say that the Wilson
bill will enable American manufacture
ers TO compete successfully with other
manufacturing nations in foreign
markets But that bill which is to
stimulate the expectation of American
goods will by the admission of the
democrats themselves stimulate the
Importation of foreign goods. II 1t is
to produce the revenue which they saw
it will the importations of COMPETE
tive goods will be so increased that
millions of dollars worth of American
made products will no longer find a
market here. If one is to be found for
them it will have to be abroad The
American manufacturers whipped in
their own country will have to defeat
their victors in some neutral country.
In order to reconcile the people 70
this transfer of the home market from
Americans to foreigners, the democrats
seek to minimize its value. They talk
of its limited power to consume, as
compared with that of the great out
side world. Is the American market
such a petty one, then? Read what
ex-Speaker Reed had to say On the sub
ject:
That IN this country all the workers have
been getting better wages than elsewhere Is
the very reason why our market Is the best in
the world and why all nations Of the world are
trying to break into it. We do not appreciate
the nature Of our market ourselves.
I'VE are nomin ally 20, 000,O 600 people. That is
what we are In mere numbers But as a market
for manufactures and choice foods we are poten-
tally 200 200, 900 rs compared with the next best
nation on the globe Nor is this difficult to
prove. Whenever an Englishman earns 81 an
American earns 81 60 1 speak within bounds.
Both can get the food that keeps body and soul
together and the shelter which the body must
have for 90 cents. Take 90 cents from 81 and
you have 40 cents left Take that same so cents
from Al 80 and you have Il left, just two and a
half times as much.
"That surplus can be spent In choice foods, in
house furnishings In fine clothes and all the
comforts OF life-in word, in the products of
our manufactures That makes our pOpula-
ton as consumers OF products, as compared
with the English population 200 100000 Their
population is 57,0OO.0J0 as consumers of prod
ucts which one century ago we're pure luxuries
while our population is equivalent to 200 900 900
If this is our comparison with England
world, whose markets our committee are so
eager TO have in exchange for our own? Null
hall gives certain statistics which will serve TO
make the comparison clear. On page 365 of his
Dictionary of Statistics he says the total year
ly product of the manufactures Of the world
are 4,474, 600 pounds, OF which the United
States produces 43,00J,0O0 pounds.
I'VE produce one-third and the rest of the
world, England included, two-thirds The pop
ulation If the world IS 1880 O0OO CO of which we
have 20, OOO O0 which leaves 49, 900 900 for the
rest of mankind. We use all our manufactures
or the equivalent of them. Hence we are equal
to one-half the whole globe outside OF ourselves
England included, and compared as market
with the rest Of the world our population is
equal TO us O00U00.
Il repeat, as compared with England itself as
n market our people are equivalent to 200,OO).-
OO0 As compared with the rest of the world,
England included, we are equal as q market to
7i5O0O,O00 These figures more than justify the
adiectives OF the Englishman and the cold facts
OF mathematics surpass the spasms OF rhetoric"
No democrat has ventured to dispute
the accuracy of MIR. Reeds figures or
to challenge the conclusions he draws
from them. All they do is to say stol-
idly that the American market does
not amount to much and that it will be
stroke of good business to neglect it
to reach out after Asia, Africa and the
islands of the sea.
But the business man, with Mr..
Reeds figures before him. will see that
common sense dictates first and fore
most the preservation of this great
Am erican market for Americans. While
it is theirs they cannot suffer, whatev-
err happens. If, retaining it. they can
also reach out and invade foreign mar
kets, SO much the better. But the es-
sential point is to keep what we have
and not to throw away the meat we have.
no matter how attractive the shadow
may be. Americans. if wise, will not
sacrifice the custom of their own we'll
paid citizens to compete with the Eu-
ropeans for the poor trade of orientals
and Africans. Chicago Tribune