The Springfield herald., 1904-10-28
TIE DUMPING" POLICY.
II Prevents Depression and keeps
Our Working men Em ploycd.

Our Working men Em mpioycd.
Democratic writers and speakers fire.
quently try to make political capital by
claiming that the protective tariff is re-
sponsible for the fact that our exporters
in some cases sell their merchandise ut
less than prices charged i'll the home
| market.
1t is the very root of success in all
commercial ventures to hold what you
have and gain what you can, and this
is the same in all highly advanced COM
mercial nations, including England. where
free trade prevails. Whenever n~nu-
facturer has produced more goods han
| he can dispose OF in the home market,
without disastrously affecting prices, it
| is always good business policy for him to
try to get rid Of his surplus abroad rath-
| er than to reduce his output and Incl
dentally the number of men he employs
and the wages he pays them. This
| dumping" policy. as the Democrats call
it, has again and again served to pre-
vent depression in our home markets and
has saved millions OF dollars in wages
| to American workingmen. 1t is infinite
ly better that the foreigner should occa-
| sionally get goods cheaper than they
can be bought Mt home. rather than not
have such surplus sold at all. and A;neri-
|
American workinsnen into serious loss
| in wages.
How British manufacturers pursue
this dumping policy just the same as
American manufacturers will do wseD
the necessity arises. is shown in recent
consular reports. (See circular No. 2O6I,
Department of Commerce and Labor.)
Samuel NJ. Tay lor. u. S. Consul at Glas-
gov, Scotland. says:
Manufactured steel for export Is sold for
to 10 per cent less than for domestic use.
words. the cost of Transportation to foreign
countries where competition Is brisk Is
largely assumed by the British exporter
manufacturer by means Of this reduction
Even England Is treated foreign by the
Scotch manufacturer and gets reductions
accordingly. The Scotch manufacturer
neither expects nor receives the same profit
on his exports to foreign countries that he
obtains nt home In Scotland comb ina
of steel plate for the whole of Scotland, and
gives the members of the combination
power to sell In other districts than Scot
land, ut whatever prices they choose.
may mention In this connection that nn
American sewing machine company, which,
In addition to having large works In the
cient to supply the European trade. makes
British consumers pay more for machines
manufactured In Great Britain than Amer.
lean consumers pny for those manufactured
In the United States.
Rufus Fleming. u. s. Consul at Edin-
burgh, Scotland. says:
1t Is the policy of British manufacturers
to maintain prices In the home market at
the highest possible level and to make what
ever concessions may be necessary In for
elgn markets. At all times. even when
general trade conditions at home and abroad
nre excellent, 1t is the rule. in British in
dustry. to quote lower prices to foreign buy
ers than to the average domestic trader.
The difference In favor Of the foreigner
have seen invoices OF British firm of steel
wire manufactures to German buyers in
which the prices were fully a0ls per cent
lower than the prices quoted to home Gus
toners. This reduction was not due to an
extraordinary surplus. but principally to
determination to put n certain line OF goods
Into competitive markets. In most trades
the one fixed purpose Is not to reduce
prices to British customers until forced to
do SO.
A prominent brewer, an ex-member of
Parliament, said:
have been dumping ale and beer on for
eign markets all my life. whenever ! have
had surplus. Practically every manufac-
turer In this country sells his goods abroad
bs osst price 'nsy VIII a Srhg %he1 en-
home In n reasonable time. without break
Ing the market.
James Boyle, U. S. Consul at Liver
pool, England, says:
The most interesting instance of dumping
III tnls consular district OF which | nave
knowledge. that of Brunner. Mond &
Co, chemical manufacturers of Northwich,
Cheshire. The products involved were soda
ash and bicarbonnte of soda. 1t was dis
tinct policy of this firm to sell their prod
ucts on the American market at n rate
which not only undercut the American
product. but was less than the price In Eng
lish markets. This went on for some time
until the firm effected an arrangement with
parties. both American and foreign. inter
ested In the sale of chemicals In the United
States. and then. AS am informed, became
part owners In chemical factories In Syra- /
cuse. n. Y, and In Michigan. ! believe 1t |
Is true. even now. that occasionally certain
chemicals. and particularly bicarbonate of
soda, produced In this ncighborhood are
sold cheaper In the United States than in
this market I am Informed that certain
other manufacturers, like the wellknown
firm OF Nettlefolds Uimitedl OF Brming-
ham. which makes iron and brass and
wooden screws, often sell abroad cheaper
than at home.
ii. Clay Evans. Consul General at.
England says: Il find that man
ufacturers here endeavor to maintain
home markets. but when they can find
Il foreign market, they will bid for it,
get it if they can without too great
loss, and thus increase the demand for
their output and reduce the cost of pro-
luction without demoralizing home
prices"