The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-30


called the Underwood Tariff law.
the best Tariff bill ever placed up.
on the statute books" Certainly
there is no doubt that the present
law approaches nearer to Speaker
Clark's idea-the tearing down of
all custom houses-than any other
Tariff bill passed by the Democratic
Free Trade party.
Business men throughout the en-
tire country understand for them
selves what the Underwood law has
done for their businesses, but the
point that should be accentuated
is that the law, even from the Free
trade standpoint of revenue pro-
Queer has failed completely. Conse-
quently President Wilson is now
giving serious consideration to a
bond issue, which is inevitable and
also puts out reassuring statements
that he Is in favor of some sort of
antidumping law to prevent the
flood Of cheap foreign products on
the American market at the conclu.
sion of the European war.
Redfeld's Foolish Statements
That there is no evidence that the
problem which will face the country
after the European war is to be met
in a businesslike manner is shown
by the foolish statements made by
Secretary OF Commerce Redfield, who
states that ito increase the Tariff
might seem to be the easiest and the
simplest way" but that the danger
to American industry should be met
from an ethical standpoint and not
from an economic standpoint at all"
Mr.. Redfield sagely remarks:
"If foreign countries attempted to
ship goods into this country at a
greatly reduced price our consular
agents could demand the right to in
vestigate the means of producing the
commodity to see If the manufacture
err was selling at lower price than
he should.
IF the agents were refused the
right to make such an investigation
the American consuls then could re-
fuse to sign the manifests, and the
products could never leave the ports
for the United States. There would
be a chance of course, that some
goods might get by the American
agents.
ITO meet this situation Congress
could pass a law making it illegal
for anyone in the United States to
buy or sell goods shipped into this
country in an effort to underseii
American manufacturers"
Not a Substitute for Protective Tariff
What Redfeld refers to is the much
discussed antidumping clause. Such
a law has been used effectively In
Australia and other countries to pre-
vent foreign manufacturers from sell
ing below cost in the doemstic mar
ket. Invariably, however. such
law Is used as an adjunct to a FRO
tective Tariff law, and no intelligent
economist would ever consider 1t 'as
a substitute for a Protective Tariff
The Redfeld remedy would involve
the United States in countless dis
putes with foreign governments. A
great many Of these disputes arose
as a result Of illconsidered theories
inserted in the Underwood bill, and
in every instance the Attorney Gen.
eral of the United States gave a
verdict in favor Of the European ma
ton protesting. The State Depart
ment constantly urged the Treasury
Department to make some changes
in the regulations to comply with the
protests of France and other coun'
tries.
Now Mr.. Redfeld has solution
for the industrial disaster which will
follow the conclusion of the European
war, suggesting the intrusion OF Uni
ted States commercial agents into
foreign factories, warehouses and
counting rooms and refusal by our
consuls to approve the manifests OF
SHIPS whose cargoes include products
not conforming with ethical stand
ards devised by theorists in Wash
ington.
Attended With Great Difficulties
Mr.. RedAeld overlooks entirely
the fundamental principles of Tarin
making in the United States. There
is a marked difference in the wage
scale paid in this country and in the
wage scales prevailing in the coun.
tries of Europe. A Protective Tarin
eoualIzes this difference in the cost
Of production at home and ABROAD
and this is the essential thing An
.tu,,ao TnnralV would Dc