The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-01-17
FOOD IMPORTS AND TARIFF
REVISION
WASHINGTON Jan, Tt II, :!

-4XASEIN1lTnM Jan, -l7---!esgeclaIl
Correspond ence) Imports of crude
manufactured foodstuffs for the first
\ eleven months Of the current year
4 fotaled $555,OOO,O0O, compared with
S361,OOO, 900 during the last eleven
months operation Of the republican
I. tarin law, November, 1912, to Septem-
her, 1913. an increase of over 60 per
cent. Here is a situation which gives
the American farmer, but little con-
Il cern now because he is banking the
profits derived from war prices, but
how about later, when peace IS estaD-
lished? The mere threat of peace
sends the price of grain tumbling, ac-
thai peace means slump in the for
efgn market for American foodstuffs.
AZ the same time Argentine corn ana
s meats, Canadian food products or all
kinds, Australian mutton. european
Gfleeses and canned goods, Chlnese
eggs, etc, will flow to this market IN
increasing volume, under the present
tariff law, which puts most food PROD
ucts on the free list. Why? Because
this Is the greatest food consuming
nation on earth, and, under free trade
here Is the best market for the fruits
Of the foreigners toll
But il we can feed the fighting men
IL Europe in time.o war, why can not
our farmers feed the tOiling masses
of America in time OF peace, ana why
{ should not our farmers have first pref
4 are,,ca in this beneficent work when
ff1a>war is over Two factors, grow
i,,p 0iItgof the same cause, will initiate
sagaiIist this IL that cause.-the pres
emf tariff for less, than REVENUES
Iermittefl to continue. First, the Viii
4 aon. Underwood law invites unbridled
competition with foreign foodstuffs.
EVERYTHING with which the American
farmer operates today has gone up in
! price, even the Irvine with which ne
il bringing in his sheaves, and the
difficulty which he experiences in Sc
curing labor OF any kind has lead to
the establishment of a Government
bureau OF labor which can do little to
mitigate the evil Production costs
auch as our farmer has to meet are
unknown to his foreign competitor,
I who has an abundance of labor at all
times at q wage ridiculous in our eyes,.
d The result must inevitably be that,
with the termination of the war, Amer
lean wharves will be piled high with
foreign foodstuffs If they can get, in
at present duty rates. In addition to
the SO per cent increase now coming
l iii will be vast quantities of goods
which now find ready market in
Europe where 100000 men are pro-
,ducing nothing and destroying all that
they can. At first con-
/, sunler may get his foodstuffs cheaper,
at least until tie Am efican farmer has
cut down the 'areas OF iifsst:lhge. When
!. he does that the foreigners prices will
20 up, as they always do.
Second. the present tariff policy is
poor weapon with which to meet
post war conditions with respect to
competition in manufactures. Armed
with government subsidies, trade
agreements, traits and the like, our
trade competitors will go at us saw
ageiy when the war of sword and gun
( has given place to the war Of forge
and loom. Armed only with the pres
el,t law, our manufacturers will be in
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
cuftailed, labor will be idle and with !