The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-02
There's q building boom on! Esopus is
;oing to have a new tavern.
Consistent Protection.

A correspondent of Harper's Week.
| ly writes from Philadelphia some sug-
| gesttve comment on the tariff plank
of the republican platform. The plank
contains the statement that '.protec-
ton which guards and develops our
industries is a cardinal policy Of the
republican party. The measure Of
| protection should always at least
equal the difference in the cost of
| production at home and abroad
This correspondent calls attention to
| the fact that no distinction is made
| here as to whether protection should
| apply to articles which are produced
at less cost at home than abroad or
only to those produced here at greater
| cost. Manifestly a great many articles
are produced at less cost here than
abroad, so that if it is the theory of
protection that the tariff shall sim
ply provide for that difference when
the cost is greater at home than
abroad, it would seem to be natural
that whersti1e cost is less, no protec-;
ton whatever should be provided:
And, yet, we know that great many.
things are exported because they can
be produced in this country cheaper
| and better than they can abroad,
which are not on the free list. It,
therefore, seems to be quite impor-
tant to know what protected articles
are produced at higher cost in this
country than abroad and what articles
are produced at~less cost. A tariff may
be levied upon articles produced at
less cost in this country than abroad,
but that should be done for revenue
and not for protective purposes.
The point made by this correspond
ent suggests strongly the necessity for
an examination Of our protective tar.
ifs from time. to time with, a view
to ascertaining whether they are af :,
fording protection equal to theiHdif-
ference in the. cost of manufacture at
home and abroad only when the cost
at home is greater, or whether they are
also bestowing a, bonus upon articles
manufactured at less cost at home
than abroad. Such bonuses certainly
are not consistent with the theory Of
protection if the theory Of protection
is correctly stated in the platform.
Another fact to be noted in this
connection is that, where the tariff
Discriminate in favor of an article
manufactured at less cost at home
than abroad, and that article becomes
necessary to the production: Of some
other protected product, the discrinl-
nation in favor- Of the first so oper-
ates as to increase unnecessarily the
measure Of protection imposed in ia
vor Of the second product; in which
case the protection afforded the first
works an immediate and distinct dis
advantage to the secondary industry,
SO to speak, and in this way perpetu-
ates and. increases the heavier bur
den of cost which must be borne by
the domestic consumer. A careful
and conscientious revision Of the tar
if will develop the facts in cases of
this nature and secure a more reas-
sonable and fair adjustment. At the
present time, when our export trade
Of manufactured products is so large,
| and when it is manifest that many
articles can be manufactured at home
abroad, many of which are, favored
by a liberal measure Of protection,
the man who resists careful inquiry
| into the workings of the tariff is not
willing to treat the subject frankly
and fairly
| ~