Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-08-09
FRAUD EXPOSED.
THE MASK TORN FROM THE
FACES OF FREE TRADERS.

Quibbles and Evasions Are FavOrite
Democratic Arguments-Bost
and New York Editors Who Fa-
vor Fiction Rather Than Fact
Visionary Elaborations Burst
Like Pricked Bubbles.
Under the above misleading head.
line the Boston Herald had q very
long article in its issue of June II.
We append some of its assertions and
our comments thereon. First we
quote:
"The system of protection is asked
for tho reason that those living in
country find, for one or more of va
riety Of reasons, that they cannot
manufacture and sell given article
at as low price as similar imported
article can be sold for
This is very true, sir; but protec-
tionlsts seek to establish and foster
home industries for the common ben
eft of the entire people. 1t is not en-
tirely question of price, as your
statement would indicate. The indus
try we'll established, competition
cheapens the product.
"The intention of the protective
system is to impose sufficiently high
tax upon the imported article as,
added to its cost and the profit of the
producer, will make it sell in the
market of the protected country at
price sufficiently high to justify the
protected domestic manufacturer in
placing his own wares in the same
market in competition with the i'm.
ported goods.
The display of candor here is nil
right, but it might very properly
have been said that the protective sys-
tenn does not operate as ''high tax"
and that protection is accorded be-
cause the interests of labor demand
it as we'll as those of the actual "pro-
ducer," competition, as we have said,
checking exhcrbitant prices.
Sometimes the protection tax has
been raised SO high as to make impor-
tation and subsequent profitable sale
impossible to the foreign manufactur-
er, thus giving the market completely
to the domestic producer.
The assertion here made is in direct
conflict with the free trade assump-
tion that the American producer adds
the tariff rate to what might be fair
price for his goods. Now, if hs does
this, cannot the "foreign manufactur-
er" sell his wares and fabrics in this
market as we'll as the home producer?
"But it should be obvious that the
inevitable result of tax of this kind
is to increase the cost of goods to their
purchasers, whoever they may be, an
increase which in country like the
United States, where there are large
number of liberal purchasers, may
easily amount to hundreds of millions
of dollars year.
It should not be "obvious," for il
is not SO. The inevitable result" has
been to lower the cost of goods to the
purchasers whether in the money
price, or in the cost as measured by the
exchange OF products. This is a mat
ter of fact, which in the case of iron
manufacturers, cotton, woolens and
other goods can be determined by
comparing the prices before and after
protection went into effect.
"Thus, taking the country rs
whole, every gain that is secured to its
protected industries is obtained by the
sacrifice of just SO much taken from
the unprotected industries, and, as the
system is artificial and is necessarily
an interference with trade, besides be.
ing exceedingly expensive in applica-
ton, its result is not merely all arbi.
trary subtraction of the wealth of
certain part of the community for the
benefit of another part, but induces
what may be termed the loss of fric.
tion-a loss which affects all interests
alike, both protected and unprotected.
Taking the country US whole, !" it
will be found that the unprotected
industries" profit by the home market
which the protected industries provide
for them. Hence, the producers OF
goods on the free list are rs jealous
protectionists as any others. The Her.
aid here evidently refers not to tariff
for protection but to such mongrel
monstrosity as we now have, and which
the President of the United States re.
fused to sign. 1t is under the German
tariff that such unprotected indus
tries as the raising of wool and lum-
Der are sacrificed" 1t is the policy
Of the party that the Boston Herald
represents tossrob the many produc'
ers for the benefit of few manufac-
turers. This is in line with the scheme
of the Evening Post, of New York.
which would rob the lumber produc
ers to enrich the furniture manufac
turers. But We are proud to say that
manufacturers, as u rule, are not IN
sympathy with any such narrow mind.
ed, selfish policy. There are some, it
is true, who are free traders from mo-
tives of individual greed. The true
protectionist is liberal minded Amer
ican, anxious to see prosperity extend
to all sections OF the country and to all
its industries.