Charlevoix county herald., 1907-07-13
Is NOT FAIR PLAY
NEW TARIFF DEAL WITH GER
MANY SHARPLY CRITICIZED.
Ii Not Only Permits the Cheating OF
the Revenues by Undervaluation,
but Also Enables Foreigners to
Undermine American Producers in
the American Market.

II is gratifying to find so influential
a newspaper as the Chicago Tribune
arrayed on the side of fair play and
square play in connection with the
new German agreement Additionally
gratifying 1t Is to have the view of
the American Economist regarding
the mischief and the folly of that
agreement so thoroughly agreed with
| by the Tribune. Again it is crafty
ing that the Cedar Rapids Republican
has arrived at the truth through the
Tribune, after having hesitated to ac-
cept identically the same truth as
promulgated through the Economist
several weeks in advance of the
Tribune. We are delighted to find
that the truth, through whatsoever
channel. has at last penetrated to
1 Cedar Rapids. The main thing is that
the truth has got there. The over zeal
which insists upon a prompt procla-
nation of the truth is surely no less
| pardonable than the under zeal which
I
! it is as plain as the nose on a mans
face
|. The Chicago Tribune, albeit no fer
vent friend Of protectionism, and far
| from partial to the so-called stand
patters," shows clear comprehen-
| sion Of what Is the true substance of
our new dicker with Germany. The
| T,ih ;a hxr h.,
concessions authorized in section 3. 1t
! knows better than to suppose that
this paltry consideration Is all that
Germany obtains in return for her
generous condescension in marking
down to normal rates tariff
schedule previously marked up for
that very purpose. 1t knows that
what Germany was after, and what
Germany gets under the agreement,
was such notification of our Gus
toms laws and ~,ethods of admins
tration as would permit the wholesale
undervaluation of German exports
consigned to German agents in the
United States. Fully aware Is the
| Tribune that there is no virtue in the
clause requiring that the goods shall
be for export only and not such as are
J sold in the home country except in
limited quantities only. In order to
defeat this restriction, says the Trib-
une:
"All the German manufacturer has
TO do is to put up a staple article in
an unusual form and refrain from
selling it in that shape in the domes-
tic market. 1t Immediately becomes
an article for export only, and the
manufacturer fixes his own price,
which under the convention cannot be
attacked either by our consuls or by
customs appraisers at the port of ar
rival, no matter what may be it's ac.
tuai value"
Every competing country will claim
and sooner or later be granted similar
license to send to the United States
special brands of goods manufactured
for export only" In every compet
ing country manufacturers will, as the
Tribune says, fx their own export
prices on everything they export to
the United States. Well may the
Cedar Rapids Republican exclaim:
1T is almost past comprehension
how such a blunder could have oc.
CURED. If what the Tribune has set
forth be true, the United States has
virtually said to Europe: Here is our
tariff law; make your own reductions.
In other words, fix the schedules to
suit yourselves"
Yes; this is precisely what our
gifted state department, backed up by
our acquiescent treasury department,
has said to the manufacturers of Eu-
rope. They have said more than that
and worse than that. They have said
to the governments 'of the world:
First mark up your tariffs on Ameri-
can exports, and we will then mark
down our own tariff as an inducement
for you to put your tariffs back where
they were before you marked them up
on u.s." Evidently the era of Ameri-
can tariff making for Americans Is
past. Hereafter foreigners are to de-
termine what our tariff shall be. The
results, as affecting American labor
and industry, of the universal under
valuation of goods for export to the
United States need not be speculated
upon Industrial disaster will go
hand in hand with national hvmilia-
tion.-American Economist.