Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-09-19
hDTECTlON'S NEW TRIUMPH.
idrr II This Country Leads I'm Man.
ufactured Exports.
{ Albert Clarke, In The Protectionist.

Albert Clarke In The Profecfionist.
!, has long been apparent that the pro-
ctive policy. more than any other cause,
}, made this country first in agriculture,
It in mining, first in manufactures and
tst in internal commerce.
To this record OF achievement may now
added the fact that it has become one
the greatest exporting countries, and
at the recent increase in its expectation
manufactures is greater than that Of
by other country.
Free traders have always told US that
zee trade is necessary to foreign commerce,
(at we cannot export unless we import,
BID that protection makes the cost OF pro-
hction SO high that we cannot compete
foreign markets. On the contrary, we
i've contended that people will buy what
bey want regardless OF the economic
blicy Of the country OF production, that
Dmmerce is not barter, and trade balances
ert no apprecia BILE influence upon tran
ctions, and that, so far from its being
|ue that protection makes production
|surance OF a great home market it causes
DEDUCTION on a vast scale, and that results
system, Invention, duplication, in short,
the means of increasing the product
bd lessening the cost. 1t also promotes
)mpetiton, and competition tends not
ply to economic production, but to keen
INT for markets. And it is almost
|uism that If We would be strong abroad
must first be strong at home.
No national policy ever had a greater
Indication from the most plausible OBJ
|ctions that have been raised to it than
fotection has enjoyed in the almost phe-
bmenal growth of our foreign commerce.
turing the fiscal year ended June 80, 1900,
exceeded that OF 1899 by $500, 900 600, or
? per cent, and that year had broken
records. The imports were ss49, IA, 329,
bd the exports were Il 1891 ,479 PA, making
total foreign trade in merchandise (not
pcluding gold and silver) Of S2,24 1875, SAB.
But 1t is not in the magnitude OF the
Jade SO much as in its character that we
fe protection justified. In former years
hen we have noted large exports, our
Zee trade friends have shrugged their
houlders and said: 10, yes, mostly agri-
bltural, which only proves our great
btural resources" But an analysis of
|st years exports shows large gains in all
pr leading trles-agriculture nearly
fty millions, fisheries nearly one million,
Prestry nearly ten millions, manufactures
eatly 100 millions, and mining nearly ten
billions. Our imports also show an
pcrease, which proves that the people are
fosperous and able to buy, and the two
featest increases were in articles OF vol
ntary use, mostly luAuries, about twenty
billions, which shows that the tariff
urden is placed where 1t belongs, upon
be rich; and in articles wholly or partly
Manufactured for use in manufacturing,
Twenty-Five millions, and articles in
Jude condition which enter into the
arious processes of domestic industry,
lore than seventy-t five millions.
A wise tariff for protection always aims
two objects: az reserving the home
larket so far as possible for finished
roducts into which domestic skill and
Dor have most largely entered, and (2)
Knitting at lower duties foreign crude
paterials or partly manufactured articles
hich enter into our finished products.
he gain in the imports Of the crude
paterials since 1890 has been from 33 per
ent. of all our imports to As per cent. in
poo, and the gain in the imports OF partial
Manufactures since 1890 has been from %
(er cent. of all imports to SO per cent.
b 1900.
The Mckinley tariff was enacted in 1880.
was doomed by the tariff reform craze
4 1892 and supplanted by the Wilson bill
1894. The Dingley tariff followed in
P97. Under the Mckinley law the pros
|erity of the country was greater than