The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-20

ture; and why not presume poilcy that
Will consume more and wipe out a surplus
and create still greater demands for such
products. We import enormously of
things which we should make. and If the
half OF such impor,ations were stopped by
giving the labor required TO produce them
to americans we would draw enough from
| agricultural pursuits to wipe out every
surplus In agricultural products and re-
store prices TO a living basis
One more point which Mr.. Wilson tries
to make convicts him Of one of two things.
dishonesty or ignorance. After comparing
the two rival systems he says: I'VE have
now begun to tear down our tariff walls
to let US out with our products 10 compete
with the rest OF the world in all the mar
kets OF the world" This is an old chest
nut with both Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Cleve-
land. The inference. of course, is that
| protection hampers trade abroad, but did
you ever hear Mr.. Wilson or any other
demonstrate by single fact that there
was single element of truth IN such gilt
terlng generalitiesi
This statement Of Mr.. Wilson's is based
on two hobbies. first the goods Tor goods
theory and the necessity for free raw ma
terlals" for manufacturers SO they can
capture that other igmis fatus, the mar
kets of the world" Ihe first proposition
Is based on the idea that you can't sell
unless you buy, business proposition
which only has to be stated to show its
absGrdty. Take comparison Of Eng
lands exports and imports with this coun-
try. The united kingdom has lost on every
years business with this country from
1900 up TO the present time, the balance
against her in 1891 being $3.50, GOO 600
Again, our trade with the South Ameri-
can countries for years has been against
US, and is likely to remain so since all
reciprocity treat les have been abrogsted.
So much for that. One would suppose
from Mr.. Wilson'S language that orr tariff
interfered in some other way, but just how
be never states. He certainly does not
wish to insinuate that there is sue h a
thing as an export duty, when be ought to
know that there is constitutional inhibi
ton as barrier to that. That free raw
material plea for the manufacturers is the
most artful dishonest dodge ever resorted
10 by demogOgues to befuddle the unthick-
ing. In the first place 1t is glorious
ly inconsistent for them to plead
for the advantages OF "free raw
material for the manufacturers
whom these same free traders have re-
peatedly denounced as robbers" IL the
profits IN manufacturing are one-fourtn
what free traders are always asserting that
they are, 1t would seem that the robbers"
have enough without free raw material"
TO enable them to capture the markets of
the world" But so far as free raw ma
terial is concerned for this purpose the
manufacturers had this under the McKin-
ley law, aud when Mr. Wilson was plead
ing so eloquently for free raw material,
in order" AS he says, that we may com
pete in the markets of the world" he
knew that he was constructing a fabrica-
ton that was dishonest from the ground
up. The draw back provided for in the
Mckinley bill on all material not entering
into manufacture for export was 80 per
cent, which is practically free raw mate
rial" and yet Mr.. Wilson talks rs though
that law hampered trade by heavy duties
on things which it made practically free.
Finally the inference that our trade,
either foreign or domestic, was hampered
by protection is as silly a fabrication as
ever Mr., Wilson constructed. 1t is only
necessary to state that under the free trade
era from 1916 to 1861 our exports of wheat
were only u. 44O 600 bushels, which is less
than any single year in the protection
period from 1881 TO 1891. Yet Mr.. Wilson
holds out to Ghe farmers the gittering
promise that when we abandon our own
splendid home market, which is more
than dOubly the best in the world, We are
to capture the markets of the world"
What are thew Where are they? Let some
free trader undertake to specify what this
glittering statement means, and see how
soon he gets lost. What little is lett of the
markets of the WORLD is already the
shuttle cock and battle-dore of all the
great nations Of the world, and we like
the deluded dog are TO drop our own bone,
which Is certainty and plunge into the
uncertain waters OF competition after
shadow. A brilliant statesman is Mr. |
Wilson. -