The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-09-24
WASHINGTON LETTER
PROTECTION A NATIONWIDE
DEMAND

DEmAIVD
Washington, Sept. 21.-That Re-
publican control Of the Senate is es-
sential to the enactment Of tariff leg
islation along the lines of both pro-
lection and revenue, is the assertion
of Senator Miles Poindexter, Chair
man Of the Republican Senatorial
Committee. Discussing this subject
today, he said:
"It is a remarkable circumstance
that on the eve of a national election
the most active agitation in behalf
of restoration Of protective tariff
duties comes from that section of the
country which has hitherto been most
strngly opposed to the. principle of
protection. In the North there is
comparatively little discussion of tar
iff legislation, but among the peanut,
cotton seed oil, mohair, and wool pro-
ducers of the South and Southwest
there comes a vehement demand for
protection of their industries from
the destructive competition of foreign
producers.
"This demand for protection from
Democratic States follows closely on
the action of the Democratic Nation
al Convention in adopting a tariff
plank reaffirming the traditional at
titude of that party toward the tar
iff question, which attitude is that a
protective tariff is unconstitutional.
With their own candidates pledged
against the enactment Of a protec-
tive tariff Democrats can look only
to Republicans for the legislation
they desire. All advocates of pro-
tective tariff or even of revenue
tariff, should bear this in mind when
marking their ballots for United
States Senator next November.
"The Senate is now Republican by
a narrow majority of one vote. The
outlook is that the margin will be very
slight after the November election.
Believers in the Republican principle
of protection as also believers in the
policy of raising as large a proper
ton of our revenue as possible
through the customs houses, should
make certain that no act of negli-
gence of theirs will assist in turning
the control of the United States Sem
ate over the Democrats. Should the
Republicans lose the control of the
Senate by even one vote they would
|Sthereby lose control of the Commit
tee on Finance which shapes the pro-
visions of tariff legislation.
"The tariff legislation enacted by
the Democratic party has failed both
as a measure of protection and as a
revenue producer. A compilation of
statistics has shown that in seven
years under Republican tariff laws
there were imports of almost $10,-
500, 100000, on which duties were
collected to the, amount of nearly
so, 200, or an average rate
of 81 per cent, while during seven
years of the succeeding Democratic
tariff law there were imports of $19,-
TOE, 900, 900, on which dutis were col
lected to the amount of only 81 ,631, =
OOO, 900, or an average of per cent.
The Treasury has lost nearly $4,000
100000 in revenue at time when
revenue was one of our greatest
needs.
although the South is now most
active in demanding protective tar
iff, other sections are no less in need
of return to that economic policy.
The lemon growers of Califrnia, the
lumber producers of the Pacific
Northwest, the wool and meat pro-
ducers of the Rocky Mountain States,
the miners of tungsten and magne-
site, who developed new industries
during the war, in fact, producers of
all commodities that come into COM
petition with the products of other
nations where labor is cheap and
standards of living low are vitality
concerned with the restoration of an
import duty which shall represent at
least the difference in cost of pro-
duction at home and abroad.
! ''Not only by it's past record but
by its latest official declarations the
Democratic party can not be depend.
ed upon to enact protective tariff leg
islation. BY both their past record
and their latest platform pledges Re-
publicans are bound to restore the
protective principle in American eco
nomic policy. In view of these cir
cumstances too much emphasis car
not be placed upon the Importance OF
electing Republicans to the United
States Senate"