Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-07-12

OOMP0CAUAOu-A SCr0U2 ease
Clearly Stated.
Will you be kind enough to write on the
following subject: "What Should Determine
the Limit of Protection for American Indus
tries?" 1t is quite subject and there are a
great many opinions. b. T. MELLoR.
Rockville, Conn
This is an exceedingly interesting
question. According to the princi-
pies of the American Protective Tom
League, the object of it's existence, as
expressed in Article II of its constitu-
tion. is, "by adequate dutiea upon i'm
ported products, to protect American
labor, whether agricultural, manufac-
turing, mining or commercial, against
the competition of low priced labor in
foreign countries.
All friends CT protection believe that
the American people should not, and
will not, submit to the low standard Of
wages prevailing in other countries. It
is the desire of protectionists to ameli-
crate the condition of American labor,
and this can only be done by exclud-
ing from our markets the products of
cheaper labor. The question then
arises, To what extent or to what de-
gree of protection are we prepared to
go?
We believe that the limit of protec-
ton to American industries should be
determined by the cost of labor in
similar industries in other countries.
For instance, if certain work in GER
tain factory costs an American manu-
facturer 81 per day, and similar work
in similar factorit in Europe can be
performed for 8 or $1.50 per day,
then we believe tt> product of the
American factory 81 Id be protected
to the extent of " dollar, which is
the difference between the lowest rate
paid abroad and the rate paid in this
country.
In framing tariff for protection, it
is essential to bear in mind that the
greatest amount of competition will
naturally come from such countries
as pay the lowest rate of wages. If
nm article can be made in England for
dollar and in Germany for seventy
five cents, the two being of equal
quality, the German article will se-
cure the trade and the American. wage
Garner must be protected against the
lower German rate. The knowledge
of what such rates are should be in
the possession o: business men engaged
in different industries. An American
woolen manufacturer should have re.
liable and authoritative data regard.
ing the wages paid In other countries
by those who are engaged in making
-Ailar goods. It may be true that
the lower wage gate paid in other
countries is, ir some cases, sufficient
for the needs of those people to pro.
cure the actual necessaries of life, but
we are not prepared to ask American
labor to work for mere existence,
and we trust that We never shall be
compelled to do SO. The great mass
of our pt ople wish for prosperity
to their fellow citizens, that they may
earn not only the actual necessities
but also something in addition that
will enable them to enjoy some of the
comforts, and. further, to save money
for their old age. A poorhouse policy
is out of place in the United States.
In determining the amount of pro.
te,tion necessary to American labor
and American industries other factors
enter into consideration. The inter
est on the capital employed is higher
here than in Europe. Cheap ocean
freight on the other side will often en-
able foreign goods to be laid down in
our ports for less money than similar
American goods could be delivered
there from our manufacturing towns.
When our railroads, moreover. give
special concessions in freight rates to
foreign goods that are shipped to our
interior points then our manufactures
are still further handicapped.
There has in the past been consid-
cradle criticism at what is regarded as
the high percentage of protection un.
der the Mckinley tariff. In some in
stances, Is true, the percentage of
protection was high and necessarily so,
but the actual amount of protection
was in no case excessive. The per-
,entage is regulated by the cost OF
the goods, generally being higher
where values are lo..
In any future tariff for protection
that may be framed there are some
entirely new considerations to be
borne in mind. The termination of
the war between China and Japan will
stimulate industrial progress in the
latter country, which Is already rap
idly advancing its manufacturing in-
iustries. But few years will elapse
before Japanese goods will bo found
in our own and in tho European mar
kets, supplanting such as we have inn
agined it would never be possible to
make except here or in Europe. jap
anese cotton and woolen goods of all
kinds will very shortly be strong COM
petitors with our own cottons and
woolens. Russian cotton goods are
also to be looked for, and now we find
that the cotton industry is being
planted in China, upon English lines,
no less than ten mills being erected or
equipped thore, which will, of course.
be worked mainly with Chinese labor.
This is undoubtedly England's ad.
vance move to offset the progress OF
Japanese manufacture. But what are
we doing? We have simply begun to
lower our tariff so as to give the manu-
facturers Of England, OF Continental
Europe, of India, OF China aud OF
Japan greater opportunities and
greater facilities for reaching our mar