The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-25
OLD ISLANDERS EXPOSED
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COM
MITTEE ON GRIGGs'S CLAIMS.
Retaliation of the Oft-Repeated
Charge that American-Made Goods
Are Sold Cheaper Abroad.

terly refuteS the charges that American
manufacturers are selling large quantities
of their goods in European markets for
lower prices than prevail at home. The
committee shows, in the first place. that the
values of goods on the free list advanced
materially between 1897 and 1907. They take
the following figures from the reports of
the Bureau of Statistics regarding the
movements 81 prices, showing the advance
in the prices of goods on the free list:
Coffee. Rio Standard. No. Z. per pound
August, 1888, cents; coffee, Rio Standard,
No. Z, per pound August. 1900 91s cents.
Tea, choice Japan, per pound August, lNl,
1871 cents; tea, choice Japan, per pound
August, 1902. rs cents.
Quinine sulphate, per ounce April, 1897,
10 cents; quinine, sulphate, per ounce April.
1901, 80 cents.
pssroleuW 10. refined in cases per gaIlon
In cases. per gallon FEBRUARY, 1900. lilo
cents.
Petroleum crude, Pennsylvania, per barrel
November, 1897, IS cents; petroleum, crude
$50. "SSVa"'a'' per 0affe' november ''''
Cotton, at New York, per pound October.
pound October. 9 isSo. io& cents So" " - PC
Raw silk, from China, per pound January,
1898. $3.50: raw silk, from China, per pound
January, 1900, $5.65.
Ssal hemp. from Mexico, per pound April.
1897. 1916 cents; sisal hemp from Mexico,
per pound April, 1902 lOa4 cents.
Jute, from India, per pound March, 1898,
l 1916 cents; jute. from India, per pound
March, 1900, 3h cents.
Tin, pig, per pound March, 1897, 1.35 cents;
tin; pig, per pound ,' March, 1890. s2s cents.
given, but the foregoing are samples.
COMMITTEES VIEWS.
The Industrial Commission created by
Congress several years ago in inquire into
the general conditions of industry and trade
has investigated the charge that our manu-
facturers sell abroad cheaper than at home.
Here is the result of their investigation:
From such information as comes to the
Industrial Commission In response to in
Quiries addressed to exporters, it is certain
that the making Of lower prices abroad
than at home has been greatly exaggerated.
About 20 per cent. of those reporting say
that they occasionally make such prices in
order to meet the market and sell their
goods But 20 per cent. report that they sell
at either the same price abroad as at home
or at higher prices"
Commenting on the foregoing, the COM
"In 1902 fiscal year, we manufactured
$13, 001. 704, 900 worth of goods, of which we
sold abroad $403, $50, 1853, and of that $780,
100000 at lower prices only $685.. 900. In
other words, all of our sales abroad of
manufactures, only per cent. was reduced
in price, and Of our total manufacture of
$4,000, 0O0,0O0 the proportion was less than
cost us in the way of ''cut prices" to keep
$4,000 wage earners working full time at
high wages, instead of a far lesser number
working short time at lower wages. as in
the gloomy low-tariff years Of 1S94-97."
FARM MACHINERY.
In order to ascertain the truth regarding
the old, but revived. charge that agricul-
tural implements are sold cheaper in other
countries than at home, Mr.. j. w. Jarna-
gin, editor of the Montezuma Qowa) Re-
publican. wrote to Mr.. r. M. Wilson. a
resident Of Sydney, Australia, asking that
he give the prices for which American
goods are sold in that market Mr.. Wilson
answered at length. He said for spot cash
the Deering binder, without the latest i'm
provements, brings $15S24, and with the
Montezuma, Iowa, sells the same for s110
and $125, respectively. The Indiana farmer
can probably purchase at the same price
A letter from the agents for the McCor-
mick reaper and binder, given by the COM
mittee makes the cash price $l65.45. Nc
Cormick's agent In Montezuma sells the
same machine for $l2O.
A price list of sewing machines received
from Australia is given, showing that ma
chimes like the New Home, which is listed
at $55.97 In Sydney, Australia, sell for $35
nected officially with the Paris exposition,
and who has since been travelling in Eu-
rope, says that a self-binder which sells
for $125 in Iowa retails for SOS in Austria,
and that sewing machines which are sold
for $50 in Des Moines retail for $65 in Brus-
sells. In refutation of the story of Chair
man Griggs, of the Democratic congress
sional committee, to the effect that type
writing machines which sell for $40 here
are sold for $55 abroad. the manufacturers
of the Remington say that instead of sell
ing their machines for less abroad, they
get more for them invariably.
LEAD AND WIRE ROPE.
Another assertion of the Democratic
| committee is that American smelters of
lead sell pig lead in Europe for 2h cents
for which they ask 4 cents at home. A
leading smelling company says when they
can sell all the lead they can make at 81
a hundred at home 1t is not reasonable
1t is a lead made from Mexican ores, which
enter free of duty when the lead is sold
| in Europe at the European price. The
smelling is done in the United States.
Robeling & Sons Company, manufac-
| turers of wire rope, who were charged
with selling that article cheaper In Europe
! than at home, declare that the statement
| own words. Very little wire rope is ex-
| ported. and is only exported when sold
| In connection with American machinery.
The firm also calls attention to the COM
| country and England. The manufacturers
say that the makers of the Democratic
| textbook compare the best quality, made
of the highest grade of steel, with the
| British wire rope, made of puddled iron
| or the cheapest steel. These are a few
| of the facts given in the timely circular
of the Republican national committee.
BRITISH METHODS.
The Journal has frequently referred to
| the custom of the manufacturers of Great
Britain of selling in other countries at
lower prices than at home in order to
| break down competitors in those countries
and to hold the entire trade during favor
able seasons. The committee publishes an
extract from the report of a royal COM
dition of British manufacturing, made in
| 1S4S, a portion of which Is as follows:
| THE laboring classes generally in the
/ manufacturing districts of this country,
| and especially in the iron and coal dis
| tricts. very little aware of the extent
/ ing employed at all TO the immense losses
which their employers voluntarily incur
| in their bad times in order to destroy for
| eign competition and to gain and to keen
possession of foreign markets.
| Authentic instances we'll known of
employers having at such times carried
on their works at a loss amounting in the
aggregate to 100000 o. 100000 in the
course of as many years. IL the efforts OF
| those who encourage the combination "a
restrict the amount OF labor and to pro-
duce strikes were TO be successful for any
| length of time the great accumulation OF
| capital could no longer be made which
would enable few OF the most wealthy
| capitalists to overwhelm all competition in
| times deDreSsiOu. and Tins r.