Alma record., 1919-09-25
COLD FLOODED FACTS


over y per cent of our entire inn
portations, amounting to $3,096, ,000,-
600 in value, came in free of duty
during the fiscal year ending June 80,
last. The Democratic free list gave
passes to something over 81 ,000.-
900 worth of foreign goods. "Oh,
these were all crude materials" say
the Democrats, "to be used by our
mills in manufacturing goods" But
they were not. Crude materials ac-
counted for but one-half that enorm-
Gus free list; while foodstuffs, manu-
features unfinished, and manufactures
ready for consumption made up the
other half, or $l,1l3,OOO,O 900 in value.
and these are the three classes of pro-
duction which give us greatest con-
Germ IN competition at home The
average rate of duty on dutiable i'm
ports for the year was 2l.3 per cent,
but the swollen free list pulled the
average rate of duty on total imports
down to a shade under per cent.
Despite the fact that imports for the
fiscal year 1919 exceeded those of the
last fiscal year under the protective
policy-l9l3-by II per cent, the
dutiable imports for 1919-$866, ,OOO,-
OOO-were but $40.00O,OOO greater
than the dutiable imports for 1913
1926, 100000. Those for 1919 paid in
to the public treasury but $184,458,-
600; those for 1913 paid in $3l8,142,-
O0O
Our imports for 1913 totaled
81 ,Sl3, ,0O0,0 900, Of which "a per cent
came in free. The average rate on
dutiable imports was nearly 80 per
cent, and the average rate on total
imports was III per cent. The rates
in those days were protective rates,
not merely revenue rates. Their pur-
pose was TO protect American mar
kets for American producers and to
preserve American wage standards
TO American workmen, and they did
it. Now we face a peculiar stitua-
ton: Wages have more than doubled
since 1913. Doubtless they have
doubled in Europe But that has
acted to increase the disparity in
wage scales between the two CONT
nents. With an average. say, of 81 80
a day in Europe, and $500 a day in
America, in 1913, the manufactures
IN Europe had an advantage of $3.50
per operative over us, whereas he
now has, under a doubling of wage
scales, $500 per operative. Mean
while. our tariff rate on all imports
is but one-third what it was in 1913.
our free list is almost a billion and
a quarter greater, and such imports
as do pay revenue only" duties to-
day, pay little more than half the
duties exacted under protection.
In 1913 our total ordinary revenues
were 1929, ,7S3,000 of which customs
, duties paid "A per cent. In 1919 our
total ordinary revenues were $5,146,-
SS3 900, of which customs collections
provided under per cent. Certain
sources of revenue. such as the liquor
: taxes, are on longer available to US
yet this Government must continue
for years to come to raise not less
than S4,000000, 900 annually, and
manufacturing industries must un.
doubtedly bear the brunt of this tax.
alton. If Europe and Asia are giver
continued free access to our market
if Great Britain, with her vast
scheme of imperial preferences, i.
aided by the free traders in market
ing her goods in this country, certain
y our manufacturing industries car
never hope to keep their mills goinl
and their operatives employed, much
: less be milked for taxes to meet tn,
: Government budget. The answer is s,
plain that he who runs may read. Il
is Protection. and plenty of it, tt
American industries.