The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-03-15
The Cost Of Excessive
Protection And How 1t Works

The Fair Tariff League is prOtec-
zionist organization that wants the
graft and overcharges taken out OF
the tariff, so that it will protect our
standards OF living and wages With
out adding unnecessarily to the cost
OF living.
It has anaIyzed 20 industries with
the help of reliable experts and finds
such astonishing facts as these: ;
In the total 20 industries the So
called protection given these lew
manufacturers was $2,663, 900, 900
which increased as it passed through
the hands of wholesalers. retailers
etc, until it cost the consumers S4,-
TAI, 100000, a greater sum than was
levied in any one year from taxes
during the great war; and yet TINS
amount went entirely to manufacture
ers and dealers, directly out OF the
pockets of the public.
The Government collected only $685.
200 600 in revenue on imports OF
these products in 1914, and $685.
600 600 in 1920. Was there ever
such a terrible burden put upon
people with so little benefit going to
the Government?
These industries make textiles,
hosiery, collars and cuffs, cutlery
clocks and watches. hardware, emma
and glassware and other things com
monty bought in our stores-the
necessaries of life.
The hosiery manufacturers, lot
instance, were given false protec-
ton in 1919 of $192,00,000 which
cost the consumers 1884 100000 ana
the Government collected only $500
600 in 1918; and 81 100000 in 1920
We make hosiery and knit goous
cheaper than any other country III
the world. We exported SCI, OOO,-
600 in 1920 against only $5,61I'o Oo
of imports. Our silk hosiery IS re-
tailed freely in Paris, and our cheap
cotton socks have been sold as low
as fifty cents per dozen paSs at the
mill. The hosiery people re COM
monty understood to get close TO-
gether on prices. They have made
Tremendous profts. Think of the
c. S. Government adding $384,OOO,-
OG0 TO our hosiery bill under thel
name of protection. |
So our cotton manufacturers got
which amounted to 81 ia, 10000
by the time it reached the consumer
and the Government collected on cot
ton imports in 1919 only $l5'6o'oOo
and in 1920 $32,4OO 600.
There is this difference, however
that cheap domestic cottons are sou
abroad today at as now price DIS
the domestic price, and the cotton
manufacturers do not add the duty
TO the price of cheap cotton, and the
people escape part of this posslple
tax.
In many trades, however, the en-
tire duty is added to the domestic
price.
Files for instance, carry heavy
duty, which domestic manufacturers
add to their prices, and then shlpl
abroad at 20 &c less than they charge
domestic users. 1t used to be 40Io
less. Screws used to be only hall
the price from American makers 10
foreign users, with the double price
against American users.
On porcelain and china ware, the
protection given in 1919 was $94,-
100000, which cost the consumer
sos 100000, for these people are
understood to work closely together
on prices, 1.-The big four" issuing
price lists simultaneously at inter
walls. and the little fellows following
at q little less price. The tile man
ufaoturers. belonging to this group,
were recently sentenced to jail, ana
another group disbanded by order OF
the court.
On leather gloves protection cost
the public in 1919 about $12,0O .OoO'
against which the Government col
( lected 100000, and in 1921, 81
! 100000. The price of gloves went
SO high that everyone went without
| them who could.
In these ways the United States
| Government has done more to sup
port and encourage price-tlxlng than
any other single agency in the world.
Our tariff duties are so high IN these
80 industries making in all So
9O8.OOO,O0O in 1919 that only
1.4C6 OF consumption was imported
OF these products, and 2.7b in 1921.
In 1914 importations were So % and
I2.7%c in 1920 For twenty years
imports have been almost entirely
novelties, either in design orI
quality. By charging from 300 toI
900 protection for twenty years and
more, the Government has prevented
importations of the kind of goods
commonly used. by our people, and
consequently left domestic manu-
facturers to get together and agree
on their prices against the public.
The chance in 20 industrie sto get
their share of $4,7O0,00O 600 of pro-
lection (most of it false, unjust, and
secured by deception or pressure up
on Congress) was so great that the
risk of fines meant nothing, and it
is a qeestion of whether the tile
mems going to Jail will make much
diHfnronnn