The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-29
Some Protection FaIlacies shown Up.

Some Protection Fallacies Shown Up.
At the meeting of the National
League of Republican clubs just
closed, some very spread eagle
speeches about the tariff were made.
The Wilson bill was scored unmeri-
fully, and the policy of practical ex-
clusion was trumpeted as the only
salvation of our .'infant indus
tries. Among the gems of thought
that were lavished upon this subject.
we find the following. which was a
passage in the opening address, if we
remember right
One of the great virtues of Republican states
manship of the past has been that they have not
been led into following strange gods and commit
ting themselves to new theories, but have gone
along carefully studying the ever changing material
and industrial conditions OF our country. and then,
understanding the needs and demands of the times.
have favored legislation towards that end. The Re-
publican party stands today, as 1t has always stood,
for those principles which develop and promote
American Industries and at the same time offer pro
lection to American labor. There should be no ar
gument necessary to demonstrate to the American
people that so long as their farms and factories are
taxed to assist in caring for the expenses of govern
ment, just so long must the foreign farmer and
Manufacturer pay a tax on the products which he
brings into this country.
On general principles, the absurdity
of this must be apparent to every
thinking man, This is not the only
countrygin whiahtaXes are levied. In
deed it is iightlytStaxedri in comparison
with the great military powers. The
notion that the tariff is put on 10
counterbalance the tax paid by our
farmers and manufacturers on their
lands and Entertainments is a new
feature of Republican falsehood and
Misrepresentation. We infer from it
that the old stock of humbug must be
worn pretty ~threadbare when SO reck-
less an absurdity is advanced to a seri-
Gus people by way of argument. 1t
must be plain to everyone that the
taxes paid by homeindustries are amply
offset by the domestic taxes paid by
the producers of imported wares. The
tariff must be an offset to something
else. The plea used TO be that it was
to offset the difference in labor cost
We say it is just to offset the differ
ence in greed between pampered and
protected capitalists and those who
fight for their profits in IN open com-
petitiye market.
How little our industries need pro-
lection can best bs shown from on
crete Instances. From time to time a
group of facts gets to the public eye,
which plays hob with the carefully
devised fabrications of Reed, McKin-
ley and the other observation-disclosures
We find such an illustration of tariff
truth In a recent number of American
Industries, which shows that while
the cordage trust is clanoring for
protection for its home market, it is
actually undertaking British produce
ers In the British markets. On April
90, the United States Cordage Com
pany quoted q merchant in Belfast,
Ireland. the following figures
Best Manila 2Td. per cwt
Sisal rope. -. ................23 d. per cwt
Delivered Belfast. Terms:-Cash in 80 days less ~
per cent.
AT 4:30 to the pound sterling these
prices are equivalent to the follow
ing
Best Manila rope. Il. :. ....... .0591 cents per pound
Sisal rope. .."........ .. +. .O5 cents per pound
At about. the same time the prices
of the United States Company in this
country were:-
Best Manila rope. ......... .0614 cents per pound
Ssal rope.......... ............ .0419 cents per pound
F. o. B. New York. Terms:-Cash in 10 days, less III
per cent; or net 60 days.
These figures are taken from the
Corddge Trade Journal. Comment.
ing on them, the same paper says
Figuring ocean freight to london, transferring
and storage for a short time in London. and water
freight from London to Belfast, at the moderate
sum of SO per ton of 1900 pounds, the United States
Company was on AprilS0 quoting, in Belfast, Manila
rope made in this country at u cent a pound less
than 1t did in New York Tnss object of such a pro
ceeding is difficult to fathom from a strictly business
point of view. q
Upon all this, american Industries
remarks:-'If protection does not en-
able manufacturers to plunder Amer
leans, what is it for, anyhow" This
is just what it is for and just what it
does, and just swl4&tit will continue to
do until the people kick down the
whole wicked fabric.
Yhe Coming City Real Estate Sale.