The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-09-15
Press Comments.
THE DISASTROUS RESULTS OF TIL
UNDERWOOD TARIFF


UNDERWOOD TARIFF
There is bound to be searching an
alysis of the presidents declaration that
the financial situation which confronts
the Government was not due to the
tariff. He has asked for special ''war
taxes because there was a falling off
in customs revenues of 100000 900 in
August, in comparison with the same
month last year, and he has expressed
his confidence that the people of the
country are ready Ito support the Gov
eminent with generous self-denial," and
thatsthey will be intolerant only of those
who are not frank with them.
The President is right. The people
will be intolerant of those who are not
frank. The indications are that the
first men to be accused of deception are
the advisers of the President, who have
been attempting to convince themselves
that their own tariff tinkering is not
p rimarily responsible for the predica-
ment in which the Treasury finds itself.
The imports receivedldurIng the last fiscal
year were $102, 000, 900 greater than in
the preceding year, but the duties col
lected on imports decreased $32, 200, 900.
More than 500, 200, 900 worth of goods
produced abroad displaced goods of
American production in the home mar
ket, and more than $30, 0OO, 900 of taxes,
the greater part of which the foreigner
would have had to pay to enter our mar
kets, have been levied directly on the
American citizens to make up the de-
felt. The tariff was not framed to raise
revenue, but to throw open the doors to
foreign competition. The situation at the
close of the fiscal year was ''of the max
ing"l the financiers in control in Wash
ington, to use the Presidents phrase.
An attempt has been made to blame
the further decrease in revenue in Aug
ust directly to the war, and the starting
decrease in customs receipts coincident
with the war apparently justifies the
claim. When the figures are all in,
however, it is morally certain that they
will demonstrate that the slump is not
due so much to the war as to the free
trade tariff. The business at the port of
Philadelphia is pertinent example:
The duties collected in August, 1913,
amounted to 81, 167 900, against 81, POS. 900
last month, decrease of 1858, 900. Ifl
the theory of those who would blame
the war is sound, then there must have
been an unprecedented decrease in the
imports received. The figures show.
however, that Sc, 923, 900 worth of goods
entered here last month and 81, 045. 900
worth in August, 1918, difference of
only $112, 900. That is, under the Under
wood tariff law there was in one month
a decrease in imports of $1,000 at this
port and decrease in duties collected of
$500, 900.
The Boston figures for August are
more striking yet, for the imports at
that port in August last year were only
1921 900 and last month they were
81 ,054 900 or So, 900 greater than
under the Payne tariff, but with more
than So, 500, 900 increase in imports the |
of duties collected decreased |
1852, 000l
This happens when tariff bunglers |
throw open the doors to foreign compe- |
tition by removing duties from revenue |
producing imports and lowering duties
On other articles of consumption. The
will endure the war with what |
fortitude it can command, and it will |
all its resolution to bring about |
a change in tariff policies at the earliest |
pportunity.-PubticL Ledger