The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-16
WHO ARE THE ROBBERS?

1t was charged on the floor of the
United States senate one day this
week that importers are robbing the
women and children of this country
of millions of dollars annually. The
charge was made, of course, in sup
port of the tariff bill
But there is nothing to prevent
American producers fromN supplying
the American market. If American
women and children are buying for
eign made goods it is because they
cannot obtain siulilar goods made in
America, or because they can buy the
imported article at a lower price than
that asked for American goods. The
people always will buy in the cheap
est market.
The millions of which it is alleged
the American people~are being robbed
by importers are few in comparison
with the millions of which they have
been robbed from time to time by
tariff laws. The charge made in con-
gress is due to the fact that American
manufacturers want a monopoly In
the robbing game. If the people must
be robbed by somebody they prefer
to have the robbing done by those who
take the least.
The hosiery manufa cturers OF this
country were given a protection in
1919 of s1s2.OOO.OOO. which cost the
consumers sss4.OOO.oOO. and the gov
eminent collected only 100000 in
1919: and $2.SOO.OOO in 1920. We
make hosiery and knit goods cheaper
than any other country in the world
We exported 100000 in 1929
against only s5,677.OOO of imports.
Our silk hosiery is retailed freely in
Paris. and our cheap cotton socks
have been sold as low as SO cents a
dozen pairs at the mill. The hosiery
people are commonly understood to
get close together on prices. They
have made tremendous profits. Think
of the United States government add
ing sSs4.OOO.OOO to our hosiery bill
under the name of protection.
Our cotton manufacturers got
s557,OOO, 900 to add to their prices,
which amounted to $1.114.OOO, 900 by
the time it reached the consumer,
and the government collected on cot
ton imports in 1919 only SIS, 60O,oOO.
and in 1920 $S2.4OO,o00.
There is this difference. however.
that cheap domestic cottons are sold
abroad today at as low a price as the
domestic price, and the cotton manu-
facturers do not add the duty to the
price Of cheap cotton, and the people
escape part of this possible tax In
many trades, however, the entire duty
is added to the domestic price.
Files, for instance, carry a heavy
duty, which domestic manufacturers
add to their prices. and then ship
abroad at 20 per cent less than they
charge domestic users. It used to be
40 per cent less. Screws used to be
only half the price from American
makers to foreign users. with the dou-
Bile price against American users. On
porcelain and china ware. the pro
lection given in 1919 was s94, 0Oo.0 600,
which cost the consumer s1oS,ooO.-
coo.
For twenty years imports have
been almost entirely novelties. either
in design or quality. BY charging
from 20 per cent to 90 per cent pro-
lection for twenty years and more,
the government has prevented impor-
tations of the kind of goods common
iy used by the people. and consequent
" left domestic manufacturers to get
together and agree on their prices
against the public. The importers
may be robbing us but they are not
alone.