The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-22
A BICYCLE FOR $3.50
with an Incidental Illustration Of the En-
fectH of Protection.


fects of Protection.
The report that a New York house Will
soon import high-grade bicycles from ia
pan. to be sold at $3.50 or SIS apiece.
and will continue to import them until
everybody Is supplied with them, naturally
causes a sensation" In every part oil
this country. 1t Is probably not a true
report, as II comes from a commercial
traveller. and gentlemen OF that class
are VIGOROUSLY fond OF Jokes; but IL WIN
serve at least the one useful purpose OF
pointing an important political lesson Tor
the instruction OF young men who ride
Wheels" and OF some older ones VINO
carry them In their heads.
The lesson can be conveyed In the FORM
OF tho question whether is IL better 70
allow people in this country VINO want
TO buy bicycles and ride them to buy them
from the Japanese manufacturer at the
price OF $3.50 apiece, or to compel such
persons to buy them from the United
States manufacturers at the price OF SlOV
apiece?
The whole question Of the relative right
fulness and good policy of free trade"
and protection is presented in this
sub-question. simple as 1t is.
The protectionists argue, IN substance,
that If the people OF the United states
are prevented by high-tariff laws from
buying the cheap Japanese wheels, anu
are compelled TO buy the very dear Amer
ican-made wheels. the manufacture OF
wheels In this country Will be "estab-
lished" and encouraged. and Will give en-
ployment to American workingmen; ana
will enable the American manufacturers
and their families and employees TO buy
| other goods made by other American man
ufacturers and their workingmen, ana
| that this kind OF exchange OF products
| and purchases will build up the indus
| tries of this country" and make every
| body prosperous.
The free trader argues in reply that If
| Il costs eight times as much to make
| a bicycle in this country as 10 make one
in Japan, II would be wise and well for
US to buy our bicycles from the japanese
| manufacturer. and let our home manu-
facturers make something else that they
| can make TO better advantage, and that
| so far as building up our Industries Is
| concerned, IL would be plainly wiser and
| better for the American bicyclist 10 pay
| sl2 80 for a japanese bicycle for himself,
and use the rest of his spare 500, or 81 80,
| TO buy other things that he needs that
are made by Nher American manuiac-
| turers, rather than to give 1t ali TO one
! bicycle-maker to enable him TO continue
| MAKING HIS COrllS llldNllillt's ia NhN DA-N
case, IL is obvious that the $3.50 goes 70
| other American manufacturers and theiI
| employees, and 10 grocers, merchants, and
| so on, directly from the bicyclists pocket
| In the other case, II all goes 10 the
| bicycle maker in a lump TOR him 10 dis
| tribute 10 other manufacturers, his en-
poyes, the grocers, merchants, and 50
| on-after he has taken out of 1t his prom
| on his extensive machinery. The ques
ton Is simply whether the man wh'
makes the slOO shall have the distributing
~ Il In his own community, or shal
turn IL all over 10 the man VINO make
the bicycle, for him 10 distribute In nj
oommunity-mlnus what he chooses L
keep for himself?
In the one case, 1t is seen eight men VII
have cheap bicycles TO ride, anu eaci
will distribute $S7 or all Will distribute
500 besides, in purchasing other articles
In the other case, seven men VIII go win
| out bicycles; one will ride sl0O bicycle
and the American manufacturer VIII nav
the 800 10 distribute as he sees fit or u
help him towards buying yacht or some
thing of that kind.
The one case illustrates the operation o
the Republican policy Of protection.
The other illustrates the operation or III
Democratic policy of free trade" IN
bicycle illustration is an extreme one
course but it is perfectly true one, a.
the same. 1t holds good In varying de
grees for several thousand manufacture
articles, whose prices are forced up an
kept UP in this country by. the Republioa
hlgh-taIiff system alone.
Some of the wortingmen in Charlesto
and in other parts OF the State, IL J
reported, propose to vote hereafter 10
Republican principles and policies. II the
will study the lesson which IS present
ed in the examples that we have giver
they will understand clearly just wha
they propose to vote for in the matte
of Republican protection" at least, an
they can then decide for themselves jus
how much interest they have In tn
maintenance Of that pollcy.-Charlesto
| News and Courier.