Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-01-20
Food imports and Tariff Revision

imports OF CfuQe HdnuidCluiSu ioou-
stufrs for the first IL months Of the
current year totaled s555,000,000, COM
pared with 1851 ,0O0, 900 during the last
IL months operation Of the Republican
tariff law, November, 1912 to Septem-
ber 1913, an increase of over so per
cent Here is a situation which gives
the American farmer but little concern
now because he is tanking the profits
derived from war prices, but how
about later. when peace is established?
The mere threat of peace sends the
price of grain tumbling, actual peace
means a slump in the foreign market
for American foodstuffs. At the same
time Argentine corn and meats, Cana
dian food products Of all kinds. Aus
tralian mutton, European cheeses and
canned foods. Chinese eggs, etc, etc,
will flow to this market in increasing
volume, under the present tariff law,
which puts most food products on the
free list. Why? Because this is the
earth, and. under free trade, Here is the
best market for the fruits of the for
eigners toll.
But if we can feed the fighting men
OF Europe in time of war, why can not
our farmers feed the toiling masses of
America in time of peace. and why
fa hay
erence in this beneficent work when
the war is over? Two factors, grow
ing out of the same cause, will initiate
against this if that cause.-the present
tariff -for-less- than -revenue-is permit
ted to continue: First, the Wilson
Underwood law invites unbridled com
petition with foreign foodstuffs.
Everything with which the American
farmer operates today has gone up in
price, even the twine with which he
is bringing in his sheaves, and the
difficulty which he experiences in Sc
curing labor of any kind has lead to
the establishment of Government
mitigate the evil. Production costs
such as our farmer has to meet are
unknown to his foreign competitor,
who has an abundance of labor at all
times AT wage ridiculous in our
eyes. The result must inevitably be
that, with the termination of the war
American wharves will be piled high
with foreign foodstuffs If they can get
In at present duty rates In addition
20 the 80 per cent increase now coming
In viii be vast quantities OF goods
Which now find a ready market in
Europe where $4,000, 900 men are pro-
ducing nothing and destroying all that
they can. At first the American con.
sumner may get his foodstuffs cheaper.
at least until the American farmer
has cut down the area of his tillage.
When he does that the foreiener,s
prices VIII go up, as they always do
Second. the present tariff policy is a
poor weapon with which to meet most
war conditions with respect TO COM
petition in manufactures Armed with
government subsidies, trade agree
ments tariffs, and the like, our trade
competitors will go at us sayaeelv
"heh the war of sword and gun has
given place TO the war of forge and
loom. Armed only with the present
law. our manufacturers will he in a
position similar to the Saxons in Bill
Nye's History of England" who. when
resisting invasion. had to fall back
every hour or so to straighten their tin
swords. With manufacturing cur+,,,oa
iaoor VIII be idle and without the
wage to buy the farmers produce And
the prime consideration of every Amer
lean farmer should be a large homo
market.
while the demand for a return to
the protective tariff policy is pressing
the Democratic House of Represents.
tives is considering the levying of
DUTY on coffee. tea, rubber and wool
and an increase in the rate on sugar
We raise none of the first three, so if
tney are taxed, we will pay the tax.
We Will not get a protective rate on
WOOL and we shall not object to a pro-
tective rate on sugar. But WHY NOT
restore protection to all our industries
thereby realizing considerably more
revenue, preparing ourselves for after
war conditions. and getting onto a solid
basis of prosperity? And that is what
remains TO be done by the Republicans
in Congress. by way of a substitute
tariff measure.