Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-15
Manufacturing and the Tariff.

we must buy abroad an in
creasing volume o. things that we
can never economically produce.
We must pay for them in goods
and it should be our ambition to
pay for them in finished goods
which represent the higher
: achievements Of labor rather than
in raw materials."-FTank A.
vanderlip to the National AS
sociatfon Of Cotton Manufacturers.
Then the mills turning out those
finished goods must have protective
rates of duty or pay their workmen the
European and Oriental rates of wages.
The greater the development Of our
manufacturing industries by the policy
of protection, the larger will be the
consumption at home of the products
of the American farm, and the greater
will be the volume Of our raw ma
terials worked up at home.
Protection to native industries was
the settled policy Of Great Britain up
to 1886 BY that time science and in
vention has made it possible for her to
produce more cheaply than any other
nation, the policy of protection was
abandoned, and a worldwide campaign
was entered into to discourage the
adoption by other countries Of the
protective policy, in order that Great
Britain might have free access to their
markets.
Germany was able to make but little
Roadway in manufacturing until Bis
marck placed that Empire permanently
on a protective basis in 1879. The
German Zollverein, which had oper-
,ated for nearly half century. had uni
fled Germany. In 1865 the first sue
cessful attack was made on the tariff
schedules Of the Zollverein by German
freetraders. with the aid Of the Eng
lish Golden, and poverty and depres-
sion were the portion Of Germany for
IA years thereafter. In May, 1879, ad-
dressing the German parliament, Bis
marck said:
Il see that the countries which pro-
tect themselves prosper, that the coun-
tries which are open are declining, and
that great and powerful England, that
strong combatant. who, after strength
ening her muscles entered the market
and said: Who will contest me? l
am ready for anyone is gradually go
ing back to protective duties and will
in a few years adopt them so far as is
necessary to preserving at least the
English market"
On July :. 1879, bill passed the
German Reichstag which marked the
return Of Germany to the protective
Iolicy to which she has firmly adhered
since that date. In his report made in
1854 the British consul at Dusseldorf
said:
These provinces not only now sup
ply their own and the requirements Of
Germany with products and manufac
lures, which some few years ago were
imported from England and elsewhere
but export these very products and
manufactures not only to the markets
OF the world In competition with Eng
land. but to England itself"
Bismarck prophesied well. From
1875 to 1856 the exports of silk manu-
features from Germany increased ss4
per cent; wooden. 296 per cent; cotton
500 per cent; glass, 264 per cent; paper
322 per cent: machinery, $50 per cent
all fully manufactured articles, 157 per
cent. Thus was the protective policy
indicated In Germany, as it has been
ir the United States. and Will be
again. Today England is in favor OF
returning to the policy Of protection
and protective schedules are now In
course of preparation.