Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1890 — Sewing Machines for Americans and for Foreigners. [ARTICLE]

Sewing Machines for Americans and for Foreigners.

Tho protectionists have been much worried by tho facts recently brought out to show that our protected manufacturers are selling their goods more cheaply to foreigners than in the home market. These facts were first published at length and in detail by tho New York Reform Club in a pamphlet entitled “Protection’s ‘Home Market.’ ” The subject was afterwards taken up in 4he Senato debate by tho Democrats, and the proof that lower prices are charged to foreign buyers was brought out very fully and effectively by Senators Carlisle and Vest. The farmer’s wife can see how this matter works in the case of sewing machines, on which there is a duty of 45 per cent, ad valorem. The facts about the prices charged by our manufacturers for these machines in the home and in the foreign market are given in the following extract from the Reform Club’s pamphlet: To “Home To Market.” Foreigner*. Beet Make Machines.... .$24.00 $21.09 “The above are the prices charged wholesale dealers for one of the best machines. This machine is sold at retail by agencies in England for $32.00 and in the United States for $45.00. To “Home To Market." Foreigners. Medium Machines $22.00 $17.50 Fine “ 27.50 20.75 “A cheaper machine manufactured in the United States is sold to the home dealer for SIB.OO and to the exporter for $13.00. “Another prominent manufacturing company sells the machine for which it charges the American dealer $20.00 for export to South America for $5.00. “This system of charging American buyers higher prices for their machines than buyers in England, is not confined to a single company but is characteristic of them all,” That is how protection works. It puts up a wall around the country in order that our manufacturers may be exempted from competition from abroad, and then these manufacturers turn around and charge more in this protected home market than they charge to foreigners. “This,” as the American Machinist says, “is likely to strike the American purchaser as being a little rough on him. ” Is it not more than “a little rough?” Is it not a downright injustice-to those who bear the burden of prbtection in behalf of these manufacturers? A 9 the Engineering and Mining Journal says, “It is not fair that our own people should be made to pay more than foreigners for the products of our own land.” Manufacturers who make these redactions to foreigners need no protection

* whatever. It Is absurd to claim that they da Yet Maj. McKinley does not take this reasonable .view; he continues to the sewing machine manufacturers their 45 per cent, protection. The precise effect of this duty is that the purchaser of a S2O machine must pay $9 extra, or $29 in all. This extra $9 goes into the pockets of the domestic manufacturer, as the high duty shuts out, practically, all foreign machines. It will not do to say, as tho protectionists always do, that the full duty is not added; for here is one manufacturer who sells a machine for $5 in South America and for S2O in the United States. It is as Uncle Remus says about witches: “Dey comes diffunt.”