The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-04-29
PROJECTIONS TRIUMpES.
How Free Traders Are Disconnected
by the Facts of CONNIE rce-Ex-
tract from Glasgow Herald.

Some years ago. says the San Francis
co Chronicle, j. Thorold Rogers, in one
of course of lectures delivered by him,
which were subsequently gathered I'M
der the title of industrial History Of
England" sought to emphasize what
he conceived to be the chief drawback
of protection by saying that the inhab
itants of high protective tariff coun-
try had to pay the penalty of mistaken
system of economics by getting along
with one pair of shoes while the more
highly favored free trader had couple
of pairs. Prof. Rogers did not support
this claim with quotations from price
lists; he simply made the statement as
though it were absolutely indisputable
The accompanying references and
other illustrations of his lecture were
all designed to impress the university
students he was addressing with the be-
lief that protectionism inevitably re-
suits in diminished consumption, his
assumption being that the system pre-
vented those who resorted to it produc-
ing as cheaply as in countries where
there is no protective tariff.
Those familiar with the passage to
which reference is made and the popu-
lar opinion in England will be apt to re-
gard with surprise some recent state.
ments concerning the British and Amer
lean shoe trade, which appeared in the
Glasgow Herald of January IA. In an
elaborate review of the trade of Scot
land in 1898, which was published on
that date, the Herald. among other
things, remarked:
| Eighteen hundred and ninety-eight
| opened gloomily in the boot and shoe trade.
To add to the dullness among man.
ufacturers, a very large portion of our
| colonial trade was fairly wrested from us
| by our American cousins, who, at the mo-
| ment of writing, have practically the whole
| boot and shoe trade Of western Australia
and Africa Not only so, but American
| manufacturers during the year pushed our
| home manufacturers severely for the boot
and shoe trade of the United Kingdom, and
| have firmly established themselves in our
midst. To our annoyance and irritation 1t
| must be candidly admitted that their man
ufactures for beauty of style, handsome APP
pearance and perfection of fit excel ours.
| D.. The question continually asked in
| the boot and shoe trade Is: How comes 1t
| that America is able to deliver at our very
| doors boots and shoes at prices consider
| ably less than can be accepted by our own
| manufacturers?
While the British manufacturer is en-
| deavoring to answer the question pro-
pounded by the Glasgow Herald it may
be well to remind the Cobdenites in this
country and England that what they
predicted could never happen has hap
pened. and that the Americans are
achieving success in every line of indus
try they enter upon. The miscarriage
OF their prophecy ought to make the
free traders more modest in advancing
their views, but it is not Likely to have
that effect. Instead of holding their
peace they are now saying that the sue
cess attained in building up a manu-
featuring industry with the aid of pro-
lection furnishes an excellent reason
for dispensing with protective tariff
now that we can manufacture as cheap
ly or more cheaply than foreigners,
But the advice is likely to go UNDECIDED
until the Cobdenites can demonstrate
that protection is doing any harm to
American industry. AS long as its eff
feet is to lower the cost of production in
this country there is hardly any ground
for demanding the removal of the pro
| tective tariff.