The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-31
PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEANUT.

PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEANUT.
The whole country will be pleased with the
announcement of the department Of agriculture
that the peanut crop of the south will be mil
lion bushels larger than last year. The country
is gratifed by increased production of any food
CROP particularly one that serves, in part, as
substitute for meat and animal fats.
But the announcement of the increased pro-
duction of peanuts prompts some observations
concerning imports of this same commodity
from China and Japan. Prior to the enactment
of the tariff law of 1913 we were Importing
about eleven million, seven hundred thousand
pounds of unshelled and one million, seven hun
dred thousand pounds of shelled peanuts, the
import duty ON the former being one-haIf cent
and on the latter one cent per pound. 1t is
readily apparent that the duty was not prohib-
tive. The tariff law reduced the duty twenty
five per cent. The fact that the peanut is
southern product quite likely prevented 'heav-
Ter reduction. But even that reduction resulted
in increased imports particularly OF the shelled
peanut The cheap labor of China and other
peanut producing countries permits keener
competition in the marketing of the shelled pro-
duct In 1914 we imported nearly twenty mil
lion pounds of unshelled and twenty six million
pounds of shelled peanuts. The imports in
moralization of shipping we imported seven
million. six hundred thousand pounds of the I'M
shelled and forty-tw million, five hundred
thousand pounds of the shelled nuts. In the
meantime imports Of peanut oil were nearly
trebled.
IF there were scarcity OF home grown pea
nuts-if there were shortage of food and food
producing capacity--no one would object to
large imports from China Just now we feel a
strong sympathy for the Chinese because OF the
Injustice they have suffered by reason OF the
terms of the peace treaty. But as between the
peanut producers of China and japan and the
peanut growers of the southern states, our SYM
pathies are with the Americans. The people OF
northern states will be glad to have an increased
protection given the southern peanut growers,
even if it should result in slightly increased
price for the product. When we eat part OF the
forty-two million pounds of sheled peanuts that
come from China, we cannot help but reflect
that we are paying Asiatic coole labor which
completes with American labor, and the thought
Ideprives us of some of the enjoyment Ii SEN
ators and congressman from northern states will
aid in restoring the former tariff, they will hear
no protest from their constituents
It now appears that the Lansing Bliss White
protest against the SURRENDER Vi oiIdntuhS !"
Japan came in response to a request from Mr.
Wilson for an opinion from these gentlemen
forming three-ffths of his peace commission
on the question. And having given it they were
promptly overruled by Mr.. Wilson and "Col
ionep' House, or scant two-ffths of the com
mission. But Mr.. Wilson never had any use
for majority opinion unless it was his way Of
thinking
! After all, this talk about friction among the
allies and individual fights between French
British and American sailors does not amount