Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-10-28

peanuts for a nickel. Before that
cut was made we were importing
into this country yearly about 12,-
100000 pounds of unshelled, and
100000 pounds of shelled pea
nuts. The first year after this cut
in duty was made, we imported IL
100000 pounds of unshelled, and
27,000,000 pounds of shelled pea
nuts. During the fiscal Cor govern
menD year ended June both, 1920.
we imported 12,000,O00 pounds OF
unshelled, and 120,OOO,OOO pounds
of shelled peanuts. During the first
eight months of the present calendar
year we imported 100000 pounds
of unshelled, and 10, 200, 900
pounds of shelled peanuts. Before
this duty was cut, that is, in 1913,
the average pound price Of unshell-
ed peanuts as they came into this
country was under cents, of the
shelled, under cents. Today the
prices are over cents and nearly
10 cents respectively. You see,
Ruth, the foreigners have knocked
American peanut producers of Vir-
ginia, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and
the Carolinas out of business and
now have the market largely TO
themselves, so they can charge what
ever they think the public can stand
for their peanuts. The bulk of the
peanuts coming here from abroad
come from China and Japan, where
labor is the cheapest on arth. And
this calls attention TO the fact that
the larger portion of our peanuts
now imported are shelled, means
more labor, but a higher importa-
ton. A Chinese or a Jap gets from
25 to so cents a day and a bowl of
rice, while our peanut growers have
to pay their help not less than $3.50
a day and board of three meals. III
the thousands of children like you
Riddles could buy American peanuts,
our citizen growers would get the
benefit of our purchases. As it is,
the foreigners get the profits. And
what applies TO peanuts applies in
greater or less degree to every other
American industry. That is why
Mr.. Harding stands for a protective
duty. He wants the United States
to become self-sufficient in every
way it can"
but can't the democrats learn
from peanuts what a mistake they
are making?" asked Jack. well,
many of the democratic voters are
learning, particularly in the South, y
replied Uncle Ted" And that IS
why they have a man in Virginia,
the center of the peanut-raising in
dustry, who is running on the repub-
lican, or protective ticket, with good
chances of success. But some OF
the old liners like Senator Hitch
cock still cling to their old notions
and are still trying to work the shell
game on the American people. And
Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Cox stand for
this policy because, the world club
anticipates free trade in goods com
ing into this country. In 1912 our
total imports of all foreign goods
aggregated $500, 100000 in value.
Today they are coming in at the rate
of S6,4OO, 100000 a year. We can't
stand that very long and expect to
be a prosperous people"
what is the best way to handle
the question" asked Ruth. ITO
take the difference in the cost of
producing an article in America, and
abroad, and add that difference to
the duty collected at our ports on
that article" replied Uncle Ted. IF
the democratic party and free trad
ers want to reform this selfish old
world, let them start a movement
abroad to pay the workingmen as
much money as our workingmen get
and raise their standards of living.
American industries should not suf-
fer because foreign industries will
not treat their laborers like human
hangs