The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-09-20
A WORD TO THE TARIFF
COMMISSION.

1t is to be hoped the European war has shown Pro-
fessor F. w. Taussg, chairman OF the tariff commission
the faacy of his tariff views. At graf cost of life and
treasure Great Britain has learned the folly OF industrial
dependence For many years Great Britain was content
to buy where she could buy the cheapest and to encourage
Others to buy in her markets when they found her prices
lowest AS result of such policy Great Britain found
when the suddenly broke upon her. that she was u
prepared to supply her armies with many of the NUM-
tons and other commodities absolutely necessary for the
prompt and successful prosecution of war.
Great Brtains policy was identical with that an
nounced by Professor Taussg in 1910 when in magazine
article, he said
The real question obviously is, which of the two
ways of securing the goods is the better? 10
make thing at home is not to our advantage If
we make it at high cost. To import it not source
of loss when we import the thing more cheapy than
we can make it at home These are the simplest
cOmmonplaces.
The policy of 'buy where you buy the cheapest
has very plausible sound 1t was the policy adopted to
large extent by the Democratic party in its tariff law
Of 1913 However, under protective tariff America had
built up wide range of productive industries which had
been only partly broken down at the time of the outbreak
of the Oour most serious weakness in lack
of dyestuffs which, it happens the Republicans had
not taken precaution to protect with constructive tariff
rate We have learned that the policy of buy where you
con buy the cheapest industrial dependence and
In of war; vital weakness in preparedness
1t will be asserted by that the war has changed
conditions That is not true far as tariff principles
concerned The war has merely served to expose the
false reasoning upon which free trade advocates have
been basng their policies. The did not make Great
Britain dependent upon Germany for chemicals. 1t
B exposed the fact that her free trade policy had made
her dependent The did not make the United States
dependent upon Germany for dyestuffs 1t merely i'm
pressed with the fact that failure to build up
dyesuffs industry of our own had made us dependent
If true in 1910 that "to make thing at home is
not to advantage if we make it at high COST it is true
today. If it true in 1910 that to import it is not
source of loss when we import the thing cheapy
than we make it at home" the thing is true today
If those were the simplest commonplace" in 1910 they
are the simplest commonplace today
The fact is, however, that they not in 1910
nor they true in 1917 They will be true when the
present war has ended We are building not for day
nor year, but for centuries. We striving to make
our nation Independent nationally and if it is to be indie
pendent in political sense it must be Independent in an
industrial sense.
Those leaders in Great Britain who taught the doctrine
OF BUY where you can buy the cheapest have proven
be the worst advisors that nation has had 1t is to be
hoped that those who have been chosen to take al
leading part in the framing Of tariff policies will
ABANDON forever the false doctrines they have been teach
ING in the past.