The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-22
IF ONLY THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF
LAWS WERE REPEALED.

The consolidation into one firm of the
two great New York exporting firms Of
Flint and Eddy is a circumstance of very
great moment MIR. Eddy has made an eX-
PLANTATION of the causes that brought 1t
about ~thaCI ~ hignly interesting. In 10
other country, he says, is the i"o>dVe
power for manufacturing so cheap as
here. No other country has so much
water power. or such supplies Of cheap
ly produced coal. Wages are higher here
than abroad, but the cost of labor is
not: il "is made so much more efficient
by the use of improved machinery, that
the cost per dollar of production Is at
least as low as in any other country
Raw materials are produced here in enor-
nous abundance, and nearly every arti-
Gle required for manufacture is now adj
mtted duty free. Mr.. Eddy. therefore,
sees no reason why American manufac-
turers should not enter into general COM
petition with European manufacturers In
the markets of South America. South
American merchants are already begin
ming to learn the advantages of dealing
with this country; they are overcoming
the force of habit. and the drift of South
Am rican trade is toward the United
states, which is already the chief pur-
chaser of South American coffee and rub
Der. and has now removed the duties on
Argentine wool.
A learned contemporary remarks on the
case:
1T is of the more Importance to us TO
extend our exports of manufactured
goods. for the Argentine Republic is be-
coming a serious competitor as a wheat
exporter. and our export of meats to
Europe is always subject to attacks from
the land-owning classes. Goods can now
be manufactured I'm this country very
cheaply and the organization OF Flint,
Eddy a. Co. is evidence that they viii be
pushed in South America with plenty of
skill and capital"
The interview which we published day
or SO back with Mr.. Arthur Glasgow is
very much In point here. He told read
ers OF The Times that he had actually
exported recently number of engines
and other pieces OF machinery used IN the
construction of water-gas plants 10 Great
Britain from this country. We have not
met with a fact of this significance be-
fore In long time. 1t is a demonstra-
ton that our advantages for manufac-
turing surpdss those OF any other ma
ton in the world. We can manufacture
more cheaply than any other people. and
all that we want is market in which
10 sell our products. An insuperahle OBJ
stacle 10 our acquiring the markets that
We need is our protective tariff laws.
Foreigners will not buy our goods readily
II We exclude their goods. Business is
not purchases for money. but exchanges
of commodities. If a foreign nation
buys from us. IL must pay in what It
produces, and II our protective tariff laws
shut out the products OF that country.
they are pro tanto an impeachment 10 our
selling our goods 10 that nation.
All that this country wants, TO secure
ideal prosperity and the best of the
worlds business, is perfectly free trade,
q gold dollar as our sole money. with
silver coins for change, and repeal OF
the tax OF 10 per cent. on the issues of
State banks, so that all men may have
perfect freedom to use their credit in
their own way. That was our happy
condition before the war, and no peo-
pie ever prospered as we did then.