The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-06-18
FAILURE Of TARIFF REFORM
Results of Democratic Measure Not
Satisfactory.

Washington, June 11.-More inn
ports and less revenue. Less work
for American workingmen, more COM
petition for the American farmer, and
less money for the American treasury.
These are the results of the Under
wood competitive" tariff. Neither war
embargoes nor q decrease in ocean
tonnage sufIices to stay the flood of
foreign products which low tariff is
sluicing into the American market. At
the rate of increase shown during the
last three months, even the temporary
revival of certain industries due to the
influx of war orders soon will not Off
set the effect of the lower duties in
the Underwood law.
The figures for April, 1915, just
made public by the department of
commerce, show that the total value
of imports for that month was in
round numbers $160,576,000, compar-
ed with $159,677 900 in July, 1914, the
last peace month during which the
Underwood law was in operation, and
with $146,194, 900 for April, 1913, I'M
der Republican tariff. Imports for
March, 1915, totalled sl5S,022,000 COM
pared with $155, 900 in March, 1918.
Imports under Democratic law for
March and April 1914, were SlS2 $685.
900 and $173,762,O00, respectively.
In October 1913, the first month of
the Underwood law, imports amounted
to $132,949 900, or S27 $685. 5000 less
than April just passed, while exports
for that month amounted to $271.S6l,-
900, and for April, 1915, to 1924, 470, 900
an increase of $22,60S,000.
IN, n~t t,-nl ~,
September and October 1913, indicates
that our exporters were speeding up
and making all the trade possible be-
fore the effects of the Underwood law
began to be felt. Thus, October 1913
gave us a favorable trade balance of
$l3S,912,000
Secretary Redfield boasts of April
last as the greatest trade month in
the history of the country, and we,
the balance in our favor for that
in October 1913, which would seem tc
indicate that the Underwood law is
degenerating in spite of the abnormal
conditions which are giving it SO much
assistance.
The enormous aid to our expor
trade attributable to war orders is in
comparing April, 1914, with April, 1911;
which show increases in exports or
breadstuffs, meats and dairy products
etc, of from $50 to 500 per cent ant
MANUFACTURES of munitions of war vii
doubtless show even greater increases
In some instances manufacturers il
this country have gone so far as t
remodel their plants to meet the de
mands from abroad for war materials
and in order to keep their laborin,
forces employed
Another noteworthy fact is that thu
revenues are not keeping up proper
tionately with the importations. VI
to March, 1915, the average ad valoren
duty on all imports under the Demo
cratic tariff was about 1872 per cent
In March this dropped to 12.4 pc
cent, and in April just passed it wen
as low as $50 per cent or reduction
of Is per cent below the prevailin,
ad valorem rate. This would indi
cate that foreign producers of food ar
taking advantage of the duty FREE
provisions of the Underwood law t
get into our market to an ever in
creasing extent
That this view is justified is proves
by a recent statement issued by Col
lectOr Malone of the port of New Yorl
which shows that the increases II
North American imports into that por
were $23.000.000 against $15,000,000
year ago. Imports from South Amer
lea increased $8,000,000 and Asiati
imports increased 100000 for tn
month. The reports issued by the de
partment of commerce show that tn