Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-09-03
An ImnnssibIe DOCTRINE.

An uDOSSlDAG
The National Economist, the national
organ OF high protection, which has re-
Gently been demanding the defeat of
Speaker Henderson for reelection for
the reason that he has refused 10 agree
not to reappOint Congressman Babcock
of Wisconsin on the Ways and Means
Committee, contains the following from
George L. Refs. superintendent of the
Illinois Steel Company:
Il believe in d tariff whether we need
it or not. Even if it does no good, what
harm does it do? No profit has been
made on the iron and steel goods that
have been sold abroad. They have been
sold at cost to get rid of a surplus and
TO win a fOothOld in the foreign mar
ket. England had the trade all to her
self and she charged higher profits than
we did here. Now she has been obliged
to sell below cost to keep her market.
She cannot stand the pace. When Gus
toners abroad learn to like our goods,
they will buy them at fair prices, and
we can sell at a profit. We can make
iron and steel products cheaper than
they can. But believe in tariff just
the same. 1t insures US home mar
ket under all conditions. If the manu-
facturers cannot sell their goods, the
.workmen suffer. Trusts give better
wages and cheaper goods. No one is
disappointed but the politicians, and
they want votes"
10 N stool
makers can manufacture steel goods
cheaper than the foreigners. He also
admits the American-made steel has
been sold abroad cheaper than at
home. Yet he favOrs the continuance
of the prohibitory tariff on steel. Why
does he favor it? Because it ENSURES
us a home market in all conditions"
And Of what good is this to the steel
manufacturer? He is able to charge
more ut home taan abroad because the
tariff prevents the corrective of impor'
tation-the manufacturer is able to col
lect from American consumers the 60 to
50 per cent of the steel tariff plus the
cost of his goods and a fair profit.
One almost loses patience when it
is thus boldly asserted that such an
organization as the United States Steel
corporation, with it's billion dollars of
inflated capital on which dividends are
regularly paid, has a right TO penalize
the people Of this country because they
dive on this side of the water rather
than the other Ii would seem rs if,
granting as Mr. Refs says, that the
American SHOEMAKER can manufacture
more cheaply than his foreign competi-
tor, that our people, living closer to the
cheapest source of production. should
get steel goods cheaper than those who
live 1000 miles away. What would
be thought if an organization of farm
ers, favored by law in some way, should
arise, and il should become the accept
ed thing to charge the people in the
growing state 81 per bushel for corn.
while the same Identical corn was sold
in London for 80 cents? Would it not
DE denounced as an unspeakable out
rage, and would not there be an immc-
diatC demand for the repeal of the leg
islation which permitted and foStered
such condition?
Clay. Morrill,, Blaine, even Mckinley,
never justified the continuance of n
protective tariff when 1t should appear
that an industry in America was able
to produce more cheaply than any for
-eign rival. At first it was said pro-
lection was merely to promote infant
induStries-tO give them n chance to
get started; then it was said that only
such amount of duty was justifable as
would cQualize the difference between
the American and foreign wages
the American manufacturer not being
able to produce as cheaply as the for
eigner unless he paid lower wages;
now we have admission that the in
.dustries are not infant and that the
cost of production is less in America.
and yet there is Il defiant demand to
continue n prOhibitOry tariff on the
express ground that the American con-
sumner shall be fleeced. 1t is not con-
tended that the additional price charged
in America goes to the workingmen
in the form of higher wages. 1t is adj
mittcd that it goes to the manufac-
turer or else to the foreigner who is
able to buy things below cost. We
used to be told that the foreigner paid
the tariff tax; Mr.. Refs practically ad-
mits that, as to steel the extra price
collected in this country is given to the
foreign buyer. We pay the tariff for
him. 1t is not conceivable that this
latest expression Of protection rapacity
viii find favor with the American peo-
pIe-even with the strictest Of the old
school protectioniStS, who talked Amer
sea for the Americans