The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-09-20
SPITE LEGISLATION.
TlNkERlNG THE TARIFF TO CRIPPLE
OUR INDUSTRIES.

liable to Cut Both Ways ana Be Ne
Safeguard Against the Trusts-The
Aim of Protection Is to Make Prices
and Wages High.
Congressman Babcock has set forth
the core of his proposition for tariff
revision in these words:
"Where articles can be made cheaper
In this country than in any other and
where they have in fact become arti-
cles Of export they should go on the
free list if we are to be consistent with
our Republican ideas of protection 1t
makes no difference whether they be
made by an Individual or a trust II
our tariff is used solely to make prices
higher at home than abroad, then there
is all the more reason why the tariff
should come off. Can any one deny
this propositions?
Removing the tariff from any article
must be done with one of two objects
in view-that is, in Mr.. Babcock's view
either to enable the people to buy the
foreign article or to compel the domes-
tic manufacturer to sell his product
cheaper. But it is not clear how ei-
Their of these results is to be achieved
by abolishing the duty on articles that
are manufactured cheaper in this
country than in any other"
Suppose such articles free of duty
and the foreign manufacturer attempt
ing to invade the American market.
How could he compete with makers
here If their goods cost less than his!
Assume for the sake of argument that
the domestic makers, whether trusts
or individuals, demanded an exorbitant
| price. They would quickly meet and
rout any competition offered, and II
their costs were really smaller than the
| foreigners he would soon be banished
| from the market If the contest prov
ed to be close one, it is quite possible
that the only change wrought would
be a reduction of wages. This would
be a dear price to pay for any little
reductions in the price of commodity.
| If the foreigner could not manufac-
ture as cheaply as the American it is
| clear that he could not get the trade Of
| this market, and after satisfying him.
| self of the fact he would give it up.
| His competition, such as it might be,
would then be withdrawn and the
| American makers would remain in pos
session of the field. They might even
advance prices again, feeling surer
i than ever of their position. What,
then, would have been gained by
tinkering with the tariff? Merely a
lowering of wages but no lowering Of
| prices.
What is it that constitutes being
consistent with our Republican ideas
of projections" What are the primary
| and chief aims of protection? Low
| prices? No. Lower prices than were
| ever dreamed of when foreigners con-
trolled our market have followed the
but low prices were not the objects
| aimed at. Time and again projections
lists said that we might well pay high
er prices than prevailed in Europe II
only we could keep the money at home
and keep our people profitably EN-
| ployed at good wages.
| That is the great thing. That is and
ever has been and we hope ever will be
| the chief aim OF the Republican party,
or so long as it may be necessary to
| legislate ON industrial affairs. Con-
sistent Republicanism in nowise leads
to an opposite or contrary aim. Low
| prices are incidental to protection, but
| it would be far better to sell our sur
| plus abroad for lower prices than at
home if that were needful to main
| tanning our home industries in contin-
uous operation.
We have heretofore pointed out to
| Brother Babcock, but we take the lib
| erty of asserting again, that the motto
of let well enough alone surely applies
| to the cases he cites. If the trusts can
| make and sell cheaper than their for
eign competitors, reducing or repeating
the tariff wouldn't hurt them, but, on
| the contrary, it might help them to
| stifie the competition of smaller manu-
facturers, or to prevent others from
entering the field and becoming COM
petitors.
Tinkering the tariff to cripple our
own industries is species of spite
| legislation, and is liable to cut both
| ways. Better let that sort of thing
alone.