The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-29
PRICES AT HOME and ABROAD
REPORTS FROM UNITED STATES
CONSULS on THE SUBJECT.
they Say IL Ii the Custom for Manufaco
turers In the United Kingdom 10 Sell
Their Goods Cheaper I'm Other Coun.
tries Than They DO I'm Their Own.

Their Goods Cheaper In Other Coun.
tries Than They DO in Their Own.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s-Several special
reports from the United States Consuls on
the subject OF domestic and export prices
In Great Britain were given out by the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor to-day.
These reports were called for by the State
Department and have a direct bearing on
the campaign issue raised by the Demo-
orats that the American people are paying
higher prices for articles of domestic manu-
faoture than Is being paid by foreigners
for the same articles exported from the
United States.
The Republican campaign orators no
tably Secretary Of the Treasury Shaw, have
declared that the manufacturers Of nearly
all foreign countries sell goods cheaper
abroad than they do at home, and that the
custom, therefore, is not peculiar to this
country. The Consular reports were in
tended to establish the truth OF this state
ment. Reports have been received from
Consul Taylor OF Glasgow, Consul Fleming
Of Edinburgh, Consul Boyle Of Liverpool,
Consul Daniels of Sheffield, Consul Brad
10y Of Manchester and Consul General
Evans OF London.
All agree that certain articles OF British
manufacture are sold more oheaply in the
United States and other foreign countries
than they are In the country OF origin, and
that certain other articles are uniformly
sold for less abroad. Consul Taylor says:
"My investg alton Of the prices Of ex-
ports compared with domestic prices ex-
tends to the manufacturers of west OF Scot
land only, but am assured that what ap-
piles to them Is typical OF the United King
dom.
Generally speaking, manufacturers OF
soft goods (cottons, 6c.), have one price
for domestic and export trade Ind surplus
stocks are avoided by limiting the output,
even to the extent Of closing the works.
and ends it Is exported at reduced prices,
Manufacturers work almost entirely on
orders already In hand, 30 that the out
put Of the plant Is limited, except, perhaps.
In very flush times.
It is different Manufactured steel for .ex-
port Is sold at from s to 10 per cent less
than for domestic use and even at greater
reduction. In other words, the cost OF
transportation to foreign country where
competition is brisk is largely assumed by
means Of this reduction, and even Eng
land Is treated IS foreign by the Scotch
manufacturer and gets reductions &C
cordingly. The Scotch manufacture
ne1tner exPects nor receives INC saune
tries that he obtains az home. The same
statement applies largely to machinery.
In Scotland a combination at present exists
which fixes the price Of steel plates for the
whole OF Scotland, but gives the members
OF the combination power to sell in other
districts than Scotland at whatever prices
they choose
Mr.. Taylor adds the significant state
ment:
Il may mention In this connection, though
It may not be exactly germane to the SUBJ
ject, that an American sewing machine COM
pany which, In addition to having large
works in the United States, has works In
Scotland sufficient to supply the Euro
pean trade, makes British consumers pay
more for machines manufactured in Great
Britain than American consumers pay for
those manufactured In the United States.
The machines are identical, the various
parts being interchangeable"