Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-05-17
PRICES HERE AND ABROAD.

~ " III AiIiAilNi t4AN
question not the falsclrood can he an
swcrcd without investigation, requiring
sometimes much care and time. For
the past three months our Free-Traders
have rung the changes on the accusa-
ton that our manufacturers We're sell
ing their products abroad at Il much
lower price than in the home market.
His accusation has been made, as most
l~fee-Irade statements are, i'll general
without any attempt at specific names
or amounts. The few Instances of
suesswork have been So ridiculous as
TO deserve no notice.
This question of export discounts was
thoroughly Investigated ten yeas ago,
and we were liz more afraid of it now
than we We're at that time. when it
proved to he the biggest kind of Il buga-
boo. Until Il thorough investigation
is made by Il competent committee,
with power TO summon and question re-
liable witnesses. no MT can wholly AFT
firm or deny statements in general or
in particular. In the meantime there
are phases of the subject that will bear
discussion.
For the sake of argument let us sup
pose that our manufacturers do dispose
abroad of their surplus stock or amy of
their stock ut cut rates. Is this not Il
universal rule of trade: Does not
every merchant have his clearance
-uln.1 We, ,,n+ is. cn,,11, and cllt,,-
wnrn goods marked down below cost?'
Are not stale and damaged products
sold away under regular prices. fire.
quently below cost of production: Is
ii anything rare for our great stores
10 put Il certain article or articles on
sale ut or below actual cost to attract
customers, who will buy paying articles
in such quantities as 10 make UP for
the small loss? To Introduce a new
product does not the maker put it nj Il
very low price. or. III fact. give AWAY
samples at first. till the people lave
proved its merits:
There is one firm in the State Of New
York which gave away list wear over
100000 sample bottles of medicine.
Besides the COS; OF the medicine MIS-
the cost OF bottles and postage and tlAe
work of bottling. packing, shipping. nd
dressing. etc. and vet tlai firm charged
80 cents and 81 Il bottle for the same
medicine.
These are all fair and legitimate cN-
pedicnts of trade. If an American
manufactures, i'll order to Introduce Il
machine, or tool. or rail. or anything
else into q new market, as an induce
mcnt makes Il special price or discount
Oil Il trial order, putting the article at
cost or perhaps below cost. and being
willing TO pocket his loss for the AXE
ST future trade and profits. is it any
Sody's business. and must lie sell at
The same price to his established trade,
which would mean that he would DON
sell to no one at any price: Certainly
Amcricanlabor, the basis of all prosper
ity. is not the loser by IN operation
which provides increased employment
in American mills and factories.
Has any one but a blind ~Free-Tradcr
| amy idea that our manufacturers are
| goil.g to habitually sell their products
nj Il loss unless for some good trade
reason: These rcasons are four. and
no more: To get rid Of surplus stock
10 GET rid of undesirable stock (S1alc,
lnsensonablc, damaged or ont of date:
20 introduce new goods: to introduce
goods into Il new market. So much for
:le export price.
nut Frce-Tradcrs assert tina protec-
ton enables the manufacturer to cNtol't
,yorhitant prices ut home far in excess
of what is a reasonable profit. We do
NOT nee danny investigating committee
20 settle this question for us. Every
man is capable of settling ii for him
self. And there is not an honest nan
in any part of the United States to-day
but must acknowledge that he n buy
any and every necessary thing cheaper.
considering quantity and quality. than
ever before in his life. 1t does not
matter if steel rails are Il little higher:
1T costs less to ride and less To send
freight on the railroad than ever before.
III does not matter ii structural iron or
wire nails are somewhat higher: it
costs no more to buy or rent Il house.
1t does not matter if wool or leather
huctuate in price: clothing aud shoes
were never so reasonable in price. The
advertisements in the daily papers
prove this statement. Compare prices
with those of five years ago under Free
Trade, with ten years ago. With twenty
years ago. With any past year. and il
will he found that the same qualities
of goods for wear or use We're never sc
cheap us now. Why?
Our grand home market. built up by
protection. makes such an enormous de
mana that commodities are turned out
by the thousands instead of the hun,
dreds. No one will question that (:
thousand pairs of shoes can be made
per pair cheaper than a dozen or a hun
dred pairs. That is why everything is
cheaper to-day. and that is why more
people are employed in spite of the in
creased use of labor-saying machinery
So this revived bugaboo of the Free
Traders. with Il grain of truth and ;