The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-09
Mr.. Shaw and the Tariff.

Nll. klld w CAAN SAA~ 80 SO
Secretary Shaw is still canyassing yir-
ginia, ostcnsbly In the interest o. tho
state Republican ticket, but3slreally In
the interest of Secretary shaw's presi-
Dental boom, and wherever n ne goes
no naturally gives most attention TO ma
tionnl issues, for our distinguished Wis.
for is after the main chance. IN his
Norfolk speech he said that the Demo
cratic party makes great and persistent
ro1nplaint because some American man--
#,factures are sold abroad cheaper than
at home that a few years ago q non cIl7.
partisan committee of Congress UNDER
took 10 investigate the subject and sent
out many inquiries and gathered much
data from which It was estimated that
our manufacturers managed to sell four
million dollars worth of merchandise
abroad than in the home market.
"Our factories turn out thirteen mil
lion dollars worth Of merchandise per
annum," said the Secretary in conclu-
sion.
"a ssunling that the data gathered by
the non partisan commission is correct
and that Senator Gallinger's lWrefuted
estimates Is correct, then, out of every
one thousand dollars worth of goods
produced by our factories as the re-
suit Of labor costing fully five hundred
dollars, thirty cents worth IS solu
abroad cheaper than at home. ! DO moi
believe the artisans whose labor produc-
ed the goods will register Il protest or
w fIrnS h them
employment shall be destroyed for the
purpose of stopping the evil, If, indeed,
IT be Nn evil"
1t is not question Of amount but
question of principle, It shows that
American manufacturers are able to
compete in the markets Of the world,
yet under the American tariff system
they sell their goods in the, home mar
ket Mt q higher price and thereby COM
pei the American consumer to pay them
bounty, Secretary Shaw Is showing
what Democrats admit that protection"
Is a good thing for tho protected. but
he Is also showing that the consumer
pays the tax and that the protected"
get their benefit at the expense Of the
tax-payer,,
Al one time the protectlonists claimed
that this was not true: that tho tariff
simply shut out the foreign manufacture
er, but that competition at home kept
prices down and enabled the American
consumer TO purchase rs chcaply rs he
could purchase If foreign goods were
allowed to come In without duty. But
this beautiful little theory was exploded
recently by the Isthmlan Canal Commits
| sion. when they announced that sup
! plies for the canal would be purchased
| in the open markets, for the reason that
the governments could purchase in the
open market cheaper than In the home
market, where the tariff applies That
declaration Of the Isthnlan Canal Com
mission served, as nothing else in this
generation has served, to open tho eyes
! of the American consumers to the mi
putty of the tariff system and the cause
of the tariff reform has hetn strength
ened accordingly. Even while Mr.. Shaw
was making his speech In Norfolk the
Republicans of Massachusetts We're con
sIderIng this question and finally adopt
cd a raosolution urging that the peo-
Pile should Impress upon their represeh-
tatives in Congress the wisdom of a
consideration of tariff for, the purpose
of a revision and reimbursement"
In spite of all Mr.. Shaw's arguments,
the Congress will have to meet this sub
jcct face TO face at the forthcoming
session,