Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-03
FALSE PROMISES.


gOgues tell the farmers, the manu-
facturers and the wage-WorkerS that
the passage of the Wilson bill will
be a blessing for them, since it will
give them markets for their products
which they do not find at home. The
senator says that the home market
does not absorb the home products. the
value of which he places at five bill
ions year. 1t would require he al
leges, a popula ton of ia millions to
consume them. Therefore he tells the
producers that they should pay no
attention to home market which con-
sumes in the aggregate 80 per cent
of the products of the workshops and
the farms and reach out for foreign
markets in which to dispose of their
commodities.
1t is all right to secure foreign mar
kets provided the home market is not
sacrificed in so doing. To iniure ones
best customer who takes 90 per cent.
of ones product in the hope of gain
ing a new customer who may take 10
per cent. is not business-like.
Senator Mills say that if the Wilson
bill is passed the farmers and stock
raisers Of the country will sell more
breadstuffs and meat. The mere fact
of its passage will not cause the
Europeans to buy a pound more of
bread or meat than they do now
They will buy after, as before Just
as much of those commodities as thew
need, and if they can buy them more
cheaply from Russia, Australia, or Ar
Gontina they will do so. They will not
ask for American wheat but for the
cheapest wheat. If the American
farmers will undersell their COM
petitors they will sell more but will
get less money for it. There is not
much profit in that.
In order to find a market abroad for
the alleged surplus manufactures of
this country it will be necessary to
compete with and undersell Great
Britain, France, Germany, Italy,
Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland
and in order to retain the home market
it will be necessary to undersell them
in the United States. To do either or
both OF these there necessarily must
be a lowering of wages so prices may
be lowered. That will diminish the
purchasing power of the workingman.
He will be able to buy less of the
products of the farmer His standard
of living will tend to approach the
poorer standards of other countries If
he is to consume equal quantities and
qualities Of bread and meat he must
of o1,n
farmer must make his choice. Either
he must reduce his prices, in which
case he makes less money than before.
or he will have larger SURPRISES to sell
abroad at reduced prices. The DUR
chasing power of his home market will
be so seriously hurt that he will not be
able to make his old profit out Of it,
Industrial wars are not ended with
one battle. There is so mach at stake
that each nation puts forth Ill It's
powers and taxes itself to the utmost
to win. If the United States lowers
wages to defend it's own market and
conquer the markets of other countries
they will follow suit in order to pro-
tect themselves at home and in neutral
markets. If this is not followed by
similar move in the United States there
will be no market for its manufactures
at home or abroad. That condition of
affairs could not be endured. 1t would
mean the starvation of millions There
would have to be another wage reduc-
ton, and thus the warfare between
this country and the manufacturing
nations of Europe would go on until
one side or the other had reached the
verge of starvation and could go no
lower. The one which could command
the cheapest food would be the one to
win.
/ Very likely the United States. owing
could furnish food most cheaply, and
to its great agricultural resources.
thus it's manufacturers would win the
/ battle. But that would be at the ex-
pense of the lfood-producers. They
! could not escape their share Of the
| burden They would have to take
: lower prices for their products in order
= that the wage-workers might carry on
the contest.
Thus the mastery of foreign markets,
| which Senator Mills promises, would
mean low wages for the workingmen
/ and very low prices for the farmers.
This is the scanty feast to which the
Texas senator and his confederate as
sociates are inviting the people Of the
United States. And to reach it they
will have to suffer for years from
strikes lockouts, industrial armies"
and every other form of industrial
war. 1t is better to stick to protection
and prosperity, high wages and good
prices.
NOTES.