The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-09-23
PARTICULARS WANTED.
Free Trade Assertions That Are Not War.
ranted by the Facts.

ranted by the Facts.
In certain textiles, tools, rails, machinery
and other classes of goods we defy COMPETE
ton. If these things were sold as cheaply to
domestic consumers they are to foreigners,
the tariff wall would be worthless to the pro-
tected manufacturers. Still there is progress.
Americans are beginning to get goods of many
kinds nearly as cheaply az they would II they
had free access to the worlds markets-Balti-
more sun free Trade).
1t is not common with the opponents
of protection to admit so much as this
in favor of the policy which cheapens
production by means of improved proc
esses and enlarged facilities and with
out reducing wages. There is, however,
reservation which largely offsets the
candor of the acknowledgment. 1t is
found in the statement that if the goods
in which American producers are able
to defy foreign competition "were sold
as cheaply to domestic consumers as
they are to foreigners the tariff wall
would be worthless to the protected
manufacturers.
Assertions of this kind are much in
favor with free trade writers nowadays.
They are easy to make, but not so easy
to controvert, for the reason that no
specifications are furnished. It would
be quite to the point if figures were
given showing the articles of American
manufacture for which higher prices
are charged the domestic consumer than
those which the foreign consumer is re-
quired to pay. But it has not yet occur
red to any free trade statistician to pre-
pare such list, and probably will not,
for the best of all reaspns---the facts do
not bear out the assertions.
1t is>well known that in the stagna-
tion and depression which followed the
Aogdilg of the American market with
J, foreign merchandise under the low tariff
and no tariff of the Wilson law some
portion of the stocks of domestic manu-
facturers was marketed abroad at prices
below current values at home, and very
likely the prices were such as to leave
no margin of profit to the producer.
There was no other way to realize
money ON the accumulated overplus of
stocks.
1t is probably this condition which
the free trade writer's have in mind
when they assert that our manufacturers
are now selling more cheaply to foreign
than to domestic consumers. But that
time is past With the big home market
once more under control and an i'm
mense increase in the demand for their
output growing out of this fact the ne
oessity for sacrificing prices in order to
secure outlets in foreign markets has
disappeared.
At the highest figure ever reached by
our exports of manufactured products
the total represents no more than one
thirtieth the amount of consumption in
the home market. 1t is because of the
competition to retain share in mar
ket which consumes more than So, 000,-
900, 900 Of manufactured goods every
year that prices and profits are kept
within reasonable limits. Against this
vast trade and patronage the high water
mark of $2S8, 900, 900 of exported man
ufactures is relatively insignificant
matter.
The American consumer is not find
ing any fault. He is getting his goods
cheaper than at any previous period in
his experience and is not grumbling at
prices. He has no cause to grumble,
and he knows it. If the free traders are
able to show any cause, let them fur
nish the particulars. They cannot do it.