Fergus County argus., 1902-10-15
THE HUNT FOR ISSUES.
Democrats In Sore straits For Cam
pnIgn Mnterinln.


paign Materials,
The Democratic congressional COM
mittee is first in the field with omen
headquarters for the congressional
campaign. Chairman Griggs OF the
committee is engaged In brushing the
dust Off the issues OF tile past In the
hope of finding something upon which
the Democratic forces may unite for
the campaign that is to he waged for
control of the next house of represent.
atives.
There is something engaging to the
southern Democrats of the Griggs
stamp in the issue for tariff reyi-
sion" 1t is the programme OF the
house Democrats to make a contest on
the tariff issue, making a demand for
the abolition Of protection as means
of smashing trusts" and putting a
stop to what they claim is the gross
injustice to the American people of
sales by our manufacturers of COM
modities In foreign markets at prices
lower than goods are sold in the domes-
tic market"
In other words, the Democratic man.
ayers have been cropping into the past
and have taken up an issue that was
repudIated by congress and which was
found by the industrial commission In.
vestigators to be Of no value or inter.
est to the American people. Yet Mr..
Griggs, the Democratic chairman, has
found list OF articles, including wire
nails, axle grease, alarm clocks, ETC.,
which, he says, are being sold in Eu-
ropean markets by American manufac-
turers at prices lower than the manu-
facturers will sell those articles in the
markets of this country. The hope of
the Democratic managers TO make out
of this statement an issue that will
win in the election is based upon n
most flimsy prospect. The Industrial
commission investigation showed that
In some lines of trade articles were at
times sold in foreign markets at prices
lower than the same articles brought
In the American market, but Il was
also ascertained that invariably there
was a special reason for such condi-
tions, a reason which should be taken
into consideration in connection with
the facts of each case before true
bill could be found against the Amer
ican manufacturers for robbery" Of
the domestic consumer. 1t was found
that in every instance where goods
We're sold abroad at lower prices some
special reason, like a desire to get rid
of surplus or to introduce new ar
tlcle in foreign markets or to unload
old and comparatively useless articles
which had been superseded by i'm
proved articles of manufacture, was
among the reasons assigned for sales
at lower prices in foreign markets.
The fact IL that the Democratic man
ayers will find 1t most difficult task
to prove their case of robbery" against
the American manufacturers In the
face of the reports made by the treas
ury department of the exports and i'm
ports of the country during the past
year. In spite of the alleged adyan-
tages which the American manufac-
turer has in his own mayket the re-
ports show a decided increase during
the past year In the volume Of imports
and falling Off in the volume of ex.
ports. The 'robber" American manu-
facturer is not doing MS well as he
might, according TO the record the
Democratic managers would make him.
The American manufacturer is not
holding his OWE market entirely
against foreign competition, and the
American producers are not always
having the best of success in invading
the foreign market.