Imperial Valley press., 1920-09-14

nation. but that America would be
first to recognize the rights of a
friendly power, and Of her people.
All Are Interested
Because the safety and prosperity
Of the farmers of this country are
our own safety and prosperity and
permanence, no man, woman or child
in the United States can fail to have
an interest in protecting our basic in
dustry-that of agriculture-wher-
ever protection is necessary by the
proper use of tariff regulation.
The time has come when we are
ceasing to be food exporting ma
tion, and must look well to guarantee
ing that we shall be sustaining.
A failure to be self-sustaining in ag-
riculture, in our food supply, will
mean the weakness which afflicted
and threatened one or more Of our
ure to be self-sustaining would be a
menace to us in war, and menace
to US in peace. We have adequate ma
tional and international reasons for
keeping alive our necessary agricul-
tural industries when they are threat
ened by competition from lands of
cheap labor or new and exploited soil,
by a protective duty upon our imports
Of foods. And, of course, | use the
word agriculture in its broader sense.
including horticulture.
A Case in Point
/ think a case in point is your own
citrus and other fruit industries Of
California. America must ask herself
if she will allow these industries to
be threatened in their very existence
by the invasion of foreign grown
fruits cultivated, in some cases, under
a subsidy given by foreign govern
ment. by labor which knows nothing
Of our own American standards of
living. My answer is that just as the
fruit growers of California are will
ing to put America first, so must
America be first in upholding their
efforts, and that if to save this or
any other worthy and developing ag-
risultural industry of America, tariff
protection is necessary, then tariff
protection must be given.
| mark out the example Of the Cali
fornia agricultural industry not only
because you are Californians, but be-
cause you are Americans, and because
the preservation of agriculture is
vital, all-American interest, and above
all the interest Of the consumer.
1t may be that long list of our
farm products will require a Republi-
can protective tariff policy. There is
an increasing menace to our produc-
5ion of a number of farm products in
the opening of those countries which
can produce under intensive methods
with 10 hps pbaannr tbon o,1r o1Np
Invading Our Markets
Manchuria, South Africa, The Ar
gentine. Canada. Siberia. Australia,
New Zealand, may, in the advancing
years, invade our markets and under
bid our farmers. In the case of Can
ada, wheat; Argentine, corn; cane
sugar from tropical islands, and beet
sugar from Europe; rice from the
Orient; beans and peas from Man
meat from South America, and
other imports may threaten the life
Of our own production. 1t will be
necessary to give full and adequate
tariff protection to those industries.
But | point out to you this fact
and | will always bear it in my own
Republicon protection of
specific American agricultural indus
tries must not be based upon any
group or class which, either by the
or removal of rates of
duty, thinks it will profit. Our pro-
lection by the tariff of agricultural
industry must be based upon our con-
,ern for the American manufacturer,
the American farmer and the Ameri- !
can consumer. We are acting to safe
guard and balance the interest of all
that, indeed, in applying protective
duties or removing them, we are act
ing with full conscience of the rights
Oh all at home and abroad-that we
are acting for america First
| see by the papers that Young