Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-17

Germantown, Nov II.
THIS letter was not received until after
the editorial discussion OF the causes
and effects Of tho election had been
published last Monday. 1t deserves an
answer.
There was considerable Juggling with
figures during the campaign. The Demo
Gratis sought to boittle the war trade
and the Republicans sought to magnify
it. The Democratic Text Book, for ex-
ample, compared the value Of the total
production of the country with the ex-
ports of explosives and firearms. The
total production of all forms of wealth
during the past yeur is estimated by this
authority at $4,000. 100000 The value
OF explosives and firearms exported in
the same time is put at s536000,OOO. We
are told that this is only two.thirds of
one per cent OF the country's total pro.
ductlon, and less than eight per cent of
the total exports and only about fourteen
per cent of the total exports of manufac-
lures. This is all true 80 far as it goes
The Republican Text Book estimates
the war exports at $1,91O, ,23s.674. This
Is really much nearer the truth than the
Democratic estimate because 1t includes
horses and mules, the exports of which
have Increased in value from $3.S0O,00
in 1913 to slO1, 100000 In 1916, and auto
mobiles, In which there has been in in.
creased value of exports amounting to
about $7O,000,0O0. and SO on down the
list of manufactures of metal food stuffs,
leather, wearing apparel and other sup
plies needed by armies In the field The
total exports for the fiscal year amount
ed to s4,3O0.0O0,000. The war trade,
therefore, accepting the Republican fig-
ures as correct, amounted to about forty
four per cent of the total exports.
The figures given out by the Philadel-
'phia Commercial Museum show that the
900, as compared with the Democratic
estimate of $3.50, ,O0OO 900 and the Republican
estimate of $1,9OO, 900, 900. The CONNER
clal Museum analyses the figures still
further and finds that our exports to
the nonbelliGerent countries outside of
Europe have increased over two years
ago by s326.OOO.OOo, paid for commodi-
ties which in normal times would have
been bought from Europe.
II all the foreign war trade should be
suddenly cut off our export busIness
would be about where II was when the
war began. When the war ceases the de-
mand on America for all sorts of war
supplies will cease, and the nations
of Europe will begin the work of re,
covering their lost foreign trade as
soon as possible No one knows how
more become efficient workmen In the
mills and factories, or how soon the
"
after supplying their own needs. But
every fair,minded person does know that
they will exert themselves to the utmost
and that they win flood our markets
with their goods at the earliest possible
moment Indeed, they will be compelled
to do 1t to pay the interest on the money
which they have borrowed here, non
protective tariff will make 1t easy for
them to underseIl our manufacturers In
our own markets. 1t needs no argument
TO prove this. And protective tariff
viii make 1t difficult. This is equally
self-eyldent, The Underwood tarlf was
framed with the deliberate intent TO make
foreign competition easy.