The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1916-03-07
REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS


NAV Aoy III 'At'Af a VI AOhACooAol
of the ~soundness of the tariff prinei
pies of the Republican party was con
tanned in an address delivered at New
York on February 18th by DR.. E. I
Pratt, Chief of the Bureau of Foreigi
and Domestic Commerce of the presen
administration.
Republicans have always eontende,
that the prosperity of this country de
ponds upon the maintenance of a tariff
system which will protect our foreign
trade; that is, prevent foreign eoun
tries from flooding our markets; anC
enable our producers to build up theii
industries to such an extent as to max,
them exporters of American products
The theory of the Democrats ha:
been that the American people should
buy where they can buy the cheapest
and low tariff or free trade were advo-
Gated as a means of reducing the cost
of living. Experience has demonstrated
two things: first, that reducing the
tariff did not reduce the cost of living,
and second, that throwing our markets
open to foreign producers restroyed
our home prosperity. In his New York
address Mr.. Pratt said:
"But the cruz of the whole matter
lies in our foreign trade. The war has
indicated that our domestic prosperity
is vitally linked up with the prosperity
of our foreign trade. We found what
to many of us was astounding, and to
some u~nthinkable, that a small seq
ment of our total business, very small
when compared to the vast amount of
our total trade, held the key to our
prosperity. Our success in foreign
trade in the future is vitality necessary
to u.s.
DIR. Pratt should have said that eve
Democrats found what to man of us
was astounding" There was no dis
covery that was astounding or even
surprising to Republicans. For fifty
years they have been telling the peo-
pie of this country exactly what would
happen under a free trade policy. A
loss of 1851, 000, 900 in ten months in
our favorable balance of trade was
just about what Republicans predicted.
This 1921, 100000 meant, in the course
of a year, $2,610,0OO,O0O loss to Amer
lean industry, for money brought into
this country through foreign trade
changes hands not less than ten times
in a year, giving $40 worth of employ
ment in the course of a year for every
dollar of net foreign sales.
1t is true, as DR.. Pratt discovered,
that a small segment of our total bust
ness holds the key to our prosperity.
This being acknowledged, the question
is whether we shall in the future en-
trust the control of our economic poll
cies to a party which makes this be-
lated discovery, or place it in the safe
keeping of a party which has known,
advocated, and maintained for fifty
years the economic principles which
the Democrats are now merely learn
ing.
This question should be discussed in
the present campaign. 1t is a question
not o~vershadowed by any involved in
international negotiations. The Euro
pean war will close. Foreign controver-
sizes will have their end. The perma-
nent industrial prosperity of this coun-
try depends not upon those questions,
but upon the economic policies adopted
by the people of this country in the
elections which determine the party
which shall have control of our ma
tional administrations.
This is not begging the question or
making any concessions as to the rec
ord of this administration in foreign
affairs That record alone is sufficient
to condemn it, but the lasting problem
which confronts the American people
are those of a domestic nature, and
these should be the controlling factor
in determining . national election.