Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-03-04
Can You See the Benefits?

In its issue of Feb. 2s, 1914, the New
York Journal of Commerce publishes a
striking statement under the head
lines Imports of Dry Goods Show
Good Increase-Effects of New Tariff
Beginning TO Be Felt" Here is the
substance of this trade declaration:
According to figures given out
yesterday at the Custom House,
the imports of dry goods for the
week ending last Saturday We're
over S1,000,000 in excess of the
imports the corresponding week
last year. The increase over the
previous week amounted TO about
$1,430,000.
''Woolens. cottons, silks and 9TH
er dry goods to the value OF s4,-
036,000 We're entered for con-
sumption during the week as COM
pared with only s2.642.o00 the
previous week and s2.920.000 the
same week last year. The total
imports OF cry goods amounted to
S4,151. 600. the merchandise en-
tered for warehouse being s714.-
0e0.''
1t was explained that the increase is
due to the tariff changes and that the
imports would from now on generally
be greater as result of the lower duty
rates. An thrush of imports was not
expected Immediately upon the pass
age of the Underwood tariff, the opin-
ion In trade circles being that the eff
fects of the new rates would not be
felt for some months, pending the ne
cessary business readjustments. Near
ly four months have now elapsed since
the passage of the act. The Increase
of imports of cottons alone was nearly
100000 for the week, compared with
last years figures.
From this we are to understand that
foreign goods from now on may be
expected more and more to displace
American products. That is the
Democratic aim and claim. They de-
clare that 1t will relieve the con
sumer" Of hardships. Do you agree
to that? Do you think the American
consumer" is to be thus enabled to
put in his pocket the difference be-
tween American goods and this cheap
er foreign product? If SO, have you
thought much about who this Ameri-
can consumer" is? Is not the pro-
ducer consumer" also? And is not
one class of consumers in this
great land of ours producing to ex-
change for the product of other con
sumers'' of his own product?
Looked at candidly. does not the en-
tire gain of one class of consumers"
on this cheaper foreign product come
out of the labor and pockets of anoth-
er class of American consumers"
Very we'll, then, you and l know that
no class of American consumers" gets
ALL the difference in tariff reduction.
AS a matter Of fact fully 80 per cent.
Of the reduction goes into the
pockets of foreign manufacturers and
wholesalers--not even foreign labor
gets any higher pay. and the only gain
Of foreign LABOR is in the increased
number employed to take tho place OF
our increasing number of idle.
Are not these idle ones consumers"
also, and does not their loss mean di-
rectly to them and indirectly to us,
more than all the saving to consum-
ers" In the cheaper foreign product
that robs our labor of work and our
taxpayers of income?
What do you, then, think Of the
benefits" Of this s1.43o.oo0 a week of
foreign goods displacing American
products? Are you, then, surprised
that foreign manufacturers and other
interests subscribed generously to the
free trade Democratic campaign fund?
Do you blame them when 1t means the
employment Of thousands Of Europe's
idle and the sale of a million and a
half week of their product in our
market? But II 1t is so pleasing a
thing abroad where do you figure the
American advantage?