The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-11-11
Benefits" of Tariff Reform

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: l
saw an article in a paper published in
another county, written by zone track
farmer" who was 'hurrahing' because
the duty was taken off of shingles. He
said he had to single his buildings and
he could buy shingles cheaper. So ask
ed dealer and he told me shingles were
as high or higher than they were when
the duty was on. l wonder if. that farm
er will average to use five thousand OF
shingles a year? If he does and he can
save the 80 cents duty he will be saving
$3.50 year.If he should save this (but be
does noD it is at the expense of the shin
gle manufacturer, for the importation of
shingles has increased 265 per cent, since
the duty was taken off. So the govern
ment has lost the duty and the consumer
is in no way benefited; unless it is when
be has to pay the tax on a telephone
message to help make up what the Ca
madam single maker paid US before the
duty was removed. The importation of
shingles last year was two and half
times the quantity made in the whole
State of Maine.
Another instance of striking at Maine
industries was removing the tariff on
wood pulp. Name produces one fourth
of all the pulp wood in this country, or
nearly $34, 900, 900 worth but the pulp and
paper imported is nearly SAG, 900, 900
worth. We lose the duty, hut no man gets
book or newspaper any cheaper than
before. But If the farmer gives his note,
or sells or mortgages his farm he has to
pay tax to help make up the loss which
the government made by removing the
duty on pulp and paper. 1t will not take
that enthusiastic farmer long to pay out
that $l.50 he saves on shingles, will it?
There was imported last year $780,
OO0,0 worth Of agricultural products;
an amount equal to about all the crops
raised on all the farms in all New Eng
land and New York and New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. How long can this be
kept up and Maine farmers vote to up
hold policy that makes it possible?
A government report issued last win
ter said that Maine was feeling the hard
times as bad, or worse, than any other
State. If that is so that $1.50 will not
go very fan towards making up for the
lost prosperity every one admitted we
were enjoying three years ago. If it
were not for the great war in Europe
creating an unusual demand for unusual
manufactures, our foreign trade would
not be in nearly as good condition as it is
today. For the fiscal year ending June
30, 1914, the first year the Democratic
tariff took effect, there was loss in the
balance of our foreign trade of $780,,
700, 900, and this adverse trade continued
and increased to such an extent that in
July and August, 1915, before the war
began to be felt, the balance of trade was
$25, 600, 900 against US. At this rate
chad not the war disturbed conditions)
the balance in 1913 of 1852, 900, 900 in our
favor would not only have been wiped
out, but we would have had debtor
balance of $150,OO,OO0. This is already
indicated by the fact that, notwithstand-
Ing trade conditions were apparently in
our favor last year, our exports to all
countries outside the warning nations
decreased over $79, 900, 600, while the in
crease in the year before the tariff
change was $124, 1000, 900 in our favor.
While much has been said during the
past year about our great opportunity to
secure the South American trade on &C.
count of the war, the fact is that our i'm
ports in the fiscal year 1915 from South
America increased $39, 900, 600, while our
exports to that section in the same time
decreased $25, 900, 900; making a balance
against us of 1854, 600, 900. So if the war
had not occurred to change the course
OF trade, it is clearly evident that we
would have been debtor nation to the
extent of some 5000, 900, 900 at the end of
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1915.
President Wilson said that we needed
increased competition to sharpen Amerl-
can wits. 1t does not now look as if
American laborers would need their
teeth sharpened in order to eat any in
crease that may be found in their dinner
pals, unless it might be on account of
the extra coarseness of the food.
C. E. SMITH.