The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-25
SATURDAY, MAY IS, 1912.
Z TWO SIDES.

desire to see a tariff for revenu only
in operation in this country. MT.
Underwood has plainly set forth that
he wishes this change to be made 50
AS to bring more foreign-made goods
into the American market. he says
that these foreign-made goods Woulo
compete in our market with Amerl-
ran-made goods, and that such COM
netition would he advanta seous to n
American
II is true thai all of us are con-
sumers but it is equally true that in
one way or another all of us are also
producers. If this were not so our
land today would he no more import
ant than when the Indians owned it
or as it was in the colonial period.
Mr.. Underwood does not pretend. We
believe, that the increased foreign
competition which he so highly rec
commentator We already have that
fair share of foreign competition in
our own market which is inevitable
and desirable AS the basis of inter
national trade-would help us or
strengthen US as producers. He is
quite sure in his own mind that this
increased foreign competition in u
market would help us all as con-
sumers. and this is as far as he goes.
He says that this foreign COMPETE
ton with our own producers would
reyen our producers from making
prices in our home market too high.
The foreign-made goods would pull
such prices down. because the foreign
made goods would undersell our own
productions at a profit. In case our
production fell off. then the foreign
made goods would furnish an ample
supply of all that we needed. In
short, this foreign competition in the
home market would put the bits in
our mouths. as producers. whenever
prices ran high. and it would provide
for all our wants. as
whenever u own producing ability
ran low. IT is evident, then, that We
as producers would nave to pay for
all the advantages which MFR. Under
wood thinks that a tariff for revenue
only would confer upon us as con-
me Our initiative and construc-
tive efforts to take care OF ourselves
would be held in check through
this increased foreign competition in
u W market, but, in spite of what
we lost in that respect. our consum-
ing powers would remain undated
and in full vigor. because OF the in
ability OF man to go on without things
to use. and because of the entire will
ingness Of foreign producers to sup
ply us with all these needed things.
II mai We're wholly a producing
animal. or wholly a consuming ami
NAL, the choice would be easy. But
man Ia hnfh AVID t1,oro &c ~ oi9 f,,,.
under which man lives and by which
he is bound, tina, makes his consum-
ing capacity dependent upon his pro-
ducing capacity. If he does not
make things worth while. his ability
to get things to use is reduced almost
to the vanishing point. The choice,
therefore. is not so easy as the friends
of stiff competition between foreign
made goods and American-made
goods in u home market would like
To have it appear. For each Of us
is both a producer and a consumer
at the same time, and unless we keep
these two sides Of us in fair working
relation to each other We are bound
to make a mess Of the whole business
of social comfort, social growth and
social power.
There are those who say that if We
keep our productive capacity in prop
er shape our consuming capacity will
take care of itself. They mean that
II one has the price he can get what
he wants, and experience shows that
there is a good deal in that. At any
rate. u democratic friends are grad
ually lining up in favor Of that kind
Of a tariff which avowedly takes ac-
count only OF our consuming side.
M it is none 90 soon to begin to
think about our decision,