The Washington herald., 1915-10-19
Industry Damaged BY New
Tariff Law Before the War
Statistics Show Gain of $l22,OOOOOO IN. Foreign Goods
Bought by U. S. In First Seven Months Of Underwood
Law-Exports Gain Only IN War Supplies.

tariff law would accomplish in nor
NAL times was furnished by the work
ings of the law when II had been in
existence only q few months and be-
fore the European war. In the FIRST
seven months of 1914 there was a
gain in imports Of foreign goods over
the corresponding months of 1913,
when the Payne law still operated, OF
s122, 900. 00O. Sales Of American goods
in foreign markets declined at the
very time this increase I'm imports OF
foreign goods was going on. Thus IL
was that in the first seven, months Of
1915 we sold abroad s127.ooo.oo0 less
of American goods than In the corre-
spending months of 1913. These facts
and figures have been entirely ignored
by the defenders of the Underwood
law. - SIS. -...- .-a..T ....
Then came the war. In the first seven
months of 1915 imports fell ss.oo0. 900 worth
below the volume imported during the
corresponding period Of 1913
This change. however, did not obtain
throughout the trade of the United States
with all countries The countries at war
sent US less goods, but those not at war
sent US very much more. and. unfortu-
nately. at the same time the latter coun-
tries have bought less OF American goods.
Note the changes:
Purchases of U. 8. Goods Decline.
The countries Of Central and South
America. Canada. Mexico. Cuba, China.
5epan and Africa sent to the United
States during the seven months Of 1915
increased volumes of goods to the amount
of about s16s 10000 worth compared with
the first seven months Of 1913. Purchases
Of American goods by these countries de-
clined to the amount OF about 500. 600 900
in 1915. compared with 1912 Cuba and
West Indies are practically the only
quantities of American goods in the first
half of 1915. compared with 1sls
In other words, the countries OF the
world least Affected by the war. because
most remote from II, sold in the Ameri-
can markets In this year OF war 1852
10000 more than before the Underwood
tariff was enacted. and they bought Of
American goods 800. 900 900 less.
The conclusion, therefore, Is Irresistible
that the Underwood tariff law increases
sales of foreign goods I'm American mar
kets in normal times. and diminishes
rather than increases sales Of American
all sections Of the world where wars
influences are the least felt, the same
disastrous effects of the low tarir law
are shown. namely, purchases OF foreign
goods increase and sales Of American
goods to those countries diminish. Take
those parts OF tho world most remote
from the war: South American states,
for example. during the first seven
months Of the present year bought ST.
co., 900 less goods from the United States.
and sold in our markets $500 600 more
than in 1913. before the Underwood law.
Calculated upon the basis of our trade
with countries not at war. and making
allowance for what proba-
bly, would have been the sales and pur-
chases of the great nations of Europe
had there been no war. II is reasonable
to assert that had there been no war
the trade balance against the Emitted
States under the present tariff system