Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-08-16
Raw Material VS.. Manufactures.
STAUNTON, Va, Aug. ID, 81.


The double determination evinced by
some of our so-caled statesmen of the
present hour TO protect the manuiac-
turers and at the same time sacrifice to
his Unsuitable greed American raw ma
terial impels me to make few obser-
vations. ! lay this down as an axiom.
Free raw material will not of itself give
us cheaper manufactured material. The
relief so imperative and so frequently
and positively promised the country
can never be obtained by untaXed raw
material and at the same time placing
duty on the manufactured material;
and this policy is utterly at variance,
incompatible, irreconcilible and antago-
nistic. While it is beneficial 10 the few
it is ruinous TO the many. will give
few illustrations. Let us first advert
to sugar. Practically every sugar re-
iinery in America is owned and oper-
ated by the Havermeyer and Spreckles
sugar trust" Say government gives
placing duty on refined sugar, what
is the result ? The American sugar
producer is made 10 compete
with the sugar producers OF Cuba,
Hawaii and other sugar countries while
the American consumer becomes the
victim of the sugar trust" which is
thus enabled TO fix the price OF re-
fined sugar up to the protection point.
Then again, take wool government de-
10
wool is converted into blankets, coats
and hats, government says manufac-
tured goods must be protected. The
result is the American wool growers
must sell in the cheapest market in the
world, made so by the introduction of
free foreign wool, and the purchaser of
the blankets, coats and hats must buy
in the highest markets in the
world, made so by the tax on
imported manufactured goods. The
sole beneficiary is the manufacturer. If
these illustrations fail to convince let
us take iron. In many sections iron
ore is found in great quantities but the
manufacturer says he must have free
ore. He happens to be in a different
section from the ore and this is ex-
hausted, but when this free foreign
ore is converted into iron proper this
spoiled child of governmental iavorite-
ism cries protection and his tears and
money procure it. Is the consumer
benefited? Not at all. Foreign iron
has duty omit and the manufacturer
simply adds the amount of that duty
to the price Of the American made iron
and the owner of the American ore
and the consumer of the American iron
are his wet nurses Finally, if it is
well to give the manufacturer free raw
material, then why, in the name OF rea-
son, is il not well to give the consumer
free manufactured food If the mar
kets of the world are TO be open to one
class of people, why, in the name of
God and justice, are they not opened
to the whole people? In other words,
if free trade in raw material in coun-
try abounding in raw material is wise
policy, why is not free trade in manu-
factured goods in country abounding
in manufactured goods wise policy?
Oh protection to American labor, say
the protectionists; at the same time
they are introducing in person this
same cheap pauper labor of Europe to
displace American workmen. The
democratic party does not appear to
have the courage of its convictions.
Half way measures and timid policy
always meets with disaster. Let our
motto be free trade and direct tax;
then will we regain our prosperity and
the farmer find market for his sur
plus productions. Yankee skill, in
dustry and ingenuity can compete sue
cessfully any where and every where.
But where are the men who have the
boldness to lead the way? We all be-
lieve, but who will act? Respectfully,
JOHN y. OPIE.
P. S.-Bounties and subsidies are
surely unconstitutional.