Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-09-29
FREE TRADE THEORISTS Elk.
POSED.
Sophistries Of the Enemies ~ American
Industries shown Up by Themselves.

Sophistrfes Of the Enemies 81 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 thai 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 a 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 in
dicating that the person Is a fool, but
that his brain has become so accus-
toned to fetish worship that he is eager
TO gulp 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. b.
Sargent and Jacob Schoenhof, two free
trade authorities. In this letter |
merely desire 10 print what these gen
tlemen have admitted when pressed in
cross-eXamination. The following con-
versation took place between Mr.. Sar-
gent and one of the commissioners at a
hearing given by the tariff commission
on August %, 1882:
The Witness-Well. sir, without
being able to go into details just now,
] can only say that / am perfectly sat
s.G.l 49,. - H. Al I'LL " II n
am fully convinced hat the price of
labor would, under reduced tariff, drop
with the price of goods. and at the
same time the cost of living would be
reduced.
commissioner Amber - In other
words you would contemplate being
able TO keep up 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-Labor and all expenses.
Commissioner Ambler-Well, ''ail ex-
penses" is labor, in point of fact. is it
notP 1t may be clerical. or it may DO
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-Congressman
William A. Russell, of Massachusetts:
Mr.. Schoenhof-For instance, the
shawl industry.
Mr.. Russell-You think that that
industry is not fully protected now?
Mr.. Schoenhof-The fine goods have
very little protection because the labor
in them costs more. y y y In these
hand-formed goods we have no en-
enlargement on this side because hand
labor is SO high that it 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-Hardly.
MIR. Russell-Then the proposed re-
duction of 20 per cent. on the existing
rate of duty would be a 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, 1854. They would
make a good insertion for a campaign
document. GEO. ALLEN WHITE.
birmingham, Mass.