Huntsville gazette., 1894-03-10
THE HOME MARKET.
Ex<speaker Reeds Figures on tho Tader
situation.

Ex<speaker Reeds Figures m tho Tader
situation.
The democrats say that the Wilson
bill will enable American manufactur-
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. If it is
to produce the revenue which they saw
it will the importations of competi-
tive goods viii be so increased that
millions of dollars worth of American
made products viii no longer find
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 90
this transfer of the home market from
Americans to foreigners, the democrats
seek to minimize it's value. They talk
of its limited power to consume, as
compared with that of the great out
side world. Is the American market
such 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 aud why all nations of the world are
trying to break into 1t. We do not appreciate
the nature of our market ourselves.
I'VE are nomin ally TO,000.C0o people. That is
what we are in mere numbers. But as market
for manufactures and choice foods we are poten-
TALLY 200, 600 600 pared with the next best
nation on the globe Nor is this difficult to
prove. Whenever an Englishman earns 81 an
American earns 81 60 l speak within bounds.
Both can get the food that keeps body and soul
together and the shelter which the body must
have for 60 cents Take 60 cents from 81 and
you have 40 cents left Take that same 90 cents
from ii 90 and you have Il left, just two and
half times much.
That surplus can be spent in choice foods, in
house furnishings. in fine clothes and oil the
comforts OF ltfe--in word, in the products of
our manufactures. That makes our popula.
ton as consumers OF products, as compared
with the English population, 200 900 Their
population is 57,0000]0 consumers OF prod
ucts which one century ago were pure luxures,
while our population is equivalent to 200, ,0O0 900
IF this Is our compariso with England,
what Is the comparison with the rest Of the
world, whose markets our committee are so
eager to have in exchange for our own? Mul-
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 tie manufactures OF the world
are 4,474, ,O00 600 pounds, OF which the United
States produces |, ,44S00l, 900 pounds.
I'VE produce one third and the rest of the
world, England included, two-thirds The pop
- - 81 foA.
have 10000 900. which leaves 400 900 900 for the
rest of mankind. We use all our manufactures
or the equivalent OF them. Hence we equal
to half the whole globe outside OF ourselves,
England included and compared as q market
with the rest OF the world our popula tion is
equal TO 715 000,U00
Il repeat as compared with England itself as
a market our people are equivalent to 200,000,-
900. AS compared with the rest OF the world,
England included, we are equal as q market TO
1l5 900 These figures more than justify the
adjectives OF the Englishman. and the cold facts
OF mathematics surpass the spasms Of rhetoric"
No democrat has ventured to dispute
the accuracy of Mr.. 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
u
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-
er happens. IT, retaining 1t, 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.