The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-07-05
4 TARIFF FALLACY.

One OF the fAvorite arguments Of many
Of the opponents Of tarin protection 10
that a tariff that prohibits or limits i'm
ports operates effectively in limitation
or in prohibition Of exports. The aaser-
ton IL that u We do not permit other ma
tons 20 sell freely in our market those
nations will not come 60 us for the mer-
chandise that they need or desire. This
IL mere assertion. accepted and believed
only because Of frequent repetition, and
quite impossible Of subetantiation. Tn"
queationably our imports would increase
enormously under a system like that en-
ployed by Great Britain. The INDEFINITE
expansion of our exports under such
system il an unsupported and perhaps
unsupportable theory
The only country Of Importance with
which any comparison may he made 70
the United Kingdom. II the theory we're
sound that country would have long
and constantly increasing lead In the
export trade Of the world for the reason
that il il the only market Of importance
conforming in any way To the PROPOSE
ton that freedom Of commercial entrance
inevitably and naturally promotes ct
ports The three great and growing
commercial nations are the United King
dom. Germany and the United States.
one a so-called free trade country and the
two others Under the protective system
The development Of their commerce in the
last ten years has been a. follows
NroErs.
Germany n.o4nscn n.se.sas coo
F1N0g 0ea0G Il
United KIN rdom $40. tfsoo soso Sooo
EXPORTS.
la1o lNo
Germany u.coi., 77.oo n.soo oai 900
United States. Ia, aa2.Ooo i.TnItAo
United Kingdom i.ss7 isi0oO lsalSAoo
rScREAsEs
fmpors EHporfs
Germany tAtesASoD t@TsaoD
United States e7a,sta0O E5h-"
United Kingdom e7SsTsoO Aa ESQ
Measured in money values the import
record shows a remarkable uniformity
Measured in percentages IL shows a gain
OF 30 per cent for the United Kingdom.
20 per cent for Germany and IS per cent.
for the United States in round figures
The German and the American tariffs
do not appear To have been effective
barriers 10 the importation Of merchan-
disc that would contribute 70 the eco
nomic advancement 81 those countries
and their gain has been greater than that
IL the United Kingdom. whether because
Of their fiscal policy or in spite oft On
tho export side Germany and the United
kingdom are we'll together. with the
United states lagRard The condi-
ton il easily eXplainable on the ground
II the increased domestic demand for
foodstufs and consumption of them, thus
decreasing our surplus for export "
our shipments Of foodstuhs in 1870 had
been up Ia the average Of the three pre-
ceding years the increase would have been
SJ65 on. 10 instead Of stI7 OOJ 900 and tn.
uniformity Of gain in the export record
would have equalled that OF the import
record A. It 10 the smaller gain IN the
american auCoupt IN CoW?triscn Hth
~. gain III the other accounts has no
Tearing IN the arguments under con-
alteration LelVing out the American
.ccount. affected 10y = special influence,
~. argument " at lsas; disputed 10y
,1iupar!son Of the German and British
records The German account Shove
"a larger gam On a value basis and gain
Of - per cent as against IS per cent
for the United Kingdom
The policy ~ exchange Of special trade
ADVANTAGES by means OF International
treaties - sound enough but the theory
that other nations will not buy from No
unlcss Ne buy from them and that those
from whom We buy will return the favor
hy purchasing in our markets is without
foundation \ feN illustrations may
l,e taken from the record Of the imports
and exports - the United states for the
.