Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-03-14
AMERICAN CARPETS ABROAD.
Curious Admission Made by an OFFICIAL
Organ of High Protection.

Curious Admission Made by an OmctAl
Organ of High Protection.
We do not quite understand why the
Protective Tariff league publishes in
its weekly journal, the American Econ
omist, a long article taken from the
Textile Mercury (English) of the 18th
ult., relating to the failure of certain
manufacturers of carpets in Kidder-
minister. It is explained in this article
that the failures were due chiefly to
american competition" in the English
market-that is to say, to the under
selling of the English manufacturers
at their own doors by manufacturers
who shipped their goods from this
country.
As the Protective Tariff league and
the followers of Mckinley generally
have asserted that the recent reduction
of our duties on English carpets would
ruin the domestic industry, because
American manufacturers could not COM
pete with the English here at home
without the aid of a high duty, to say
nothing of competing with them in
England without the aid of any duty
whatever, the leagues purpose In cir
crlating this article through the coun-
try is not clearly disclosed.
We quote few sentences. Concern
| ing the failure of 'the well-known
| and hitherto successful firm of II. B.
Willis & Co., limited the Textile Mer-
| curry says:
This firm has suffered severely from
the general bad trade during the last
| two years and from the effects OF
American competition. The almost
| total failure of the Brussels industry,
consequent upon the enormous reduc-
ton in Administer makes. which that
competition has caused, has hit Kid
derminster very badly"
! After announcing the failure OF
Whitta1 Bros. & Co., also of Kidder-
minister, the English journal goes on
as follows:
| THE Brussels section of the industry
has suffered severely from the reduc-
ton in prices of Administer makes,
brought about by the necessity OF
meeting the competition Of the mo-
quotes sold on the English markets by
the Alexander Smith company OF
Yonkers, New York state"
| 1t is also pointed out that the agent
of this company arrived recently al
Liverpool, and that the English manu-
facturers may expect an increase OF
carpet exports from the states before
long.
The fact is one which, in the pres
ent condition of the English carpet
trade, is perhaps to be regretted
There it is, however, and it must be
reckoned with. From conversation
with leading buyers we are assured
that, Notwithstanding what has been
said against them, the American car.
pets are good value for the money.
For the first time in the history of the
country the states last year shipped to
this country more carpets than we sold
to them
And these carpets were sold profita-
bly, in England in open competition
with the English makers, without the
assistance of any tariff protection and
in spite of the disadvantage of ocean
freight charges.
We think the leagues subscribers
will rub their eyes when they see this
article in the American Economist o,
in any Of the numerous journals in the
interior of the country to which the
leagues weekly journal supplies tariff
matter in stereotyped plates, free O.
v