The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-06-05
REDFIELD REPLIES
TO TARIFF ATTACK
Efforts to Discredit Underwood Sim
mons Law by Quoting Figures of
Imports and Exports is Refuted.
LETTER OF FARMER IS READ
Shows Where Tillers of the Soil Are
Benefited Compares Differences in
Present and Former Tariffs.

BY Congressman c. H. Tavenner.
Washington, June 5.-The re-
peated efforts of standpat Republic
an members of congress to discredit
the Underwood-Simmo tariff law
by quoting figures of imports and
exports for selected months since the
law has been in operation, were very
neatly refuted in the senate recently,
Secretary of Commerce Redfield and
Senator Stone of Missouri collabora-
ting the refutation.
The reply of Senator Stone, who
quoted extensively from letter writ
ten by Secretary Redfield, to Sena-
tor Reed Smoot of Utah, who had
delivered typical illumination
against the tariff, should silence SIM
liar attacks for some time to come.
Senator Smoot picked out the
month of April to give him the fig
ures to serve his purpose, and with
these figures he was able to show
that there was "a loss in exports of
S37,434, 1856 in single month. -
Senator Smoot also called attention
to the fact that in April imports ex-
ceeded exports by $1O,271,S72. This
is a balance of trade against the Uni
ted States, and Smoot gave the point
proper emphasis.
But Secretary Redfield replied
completely. In his letter he wrote:
Hooking back to the last time when
imports exceeded exports, discover
that it was while the Payne-Aldrich
law was in effect that this event
took place.
THE trade balance in our favor
during the ten months ending with
April, 1914, was $170,931, 416, or
over 100000 less than during
the ten months ending with the
present April. Not only so, but
during the first year of the Payne
Aldrich taffiff law five months show
ed the imports in excess Of the ex-
ports, and one of these months -
imports of $19,341, 528.
Any statement as to the effects Of
Il tariff based upon these figures for
six or eight months is necessarily il
lUsive, but if the present tariff is to
be judged that way and condemned
because Of the excess of imports in
one month since its passage, what
~hall be said Of the Payne-Aldrich
law when in like period after it
ZANE into effect there were three
months in which the imports ex-
ceAded exports, and in one Of these
t"at excess was nearly double that
about which so much is now said"
The truth is, of course, that the
inderwood- Simmons tariff is failing
~ make good the gloomy predictions
O. the standpat Republican leaders
ring the tariff debate, and they are
'"W s"izng blindly upon statistics
which seem to bear out these predic-
TONS but which fail down when ana
iNZCd. The tariff is working well,
and when it is relieved Of it's pres
"nt handicap Of temporary business
dizziness, it will prove to be the
greatest blessing which congress has
on til country in recent years.
Mt even the most partisan of Re-
rublicans are attributing the pres
~ clackness in business to the tar
-. or one reason it is worldwide.
Tle American situation is possibly
slightly aggravated by the pending
t:ust legislation. 1t is only natural
that business should mark time when
a reorganization is pending.
To the farmer, however, the I'm