The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-12-09
BILLION DOLLARS
CAN BE RAISED
BY PROTECTIVE TARIFF
Senator Curtis Tells How Much of the
Tax Burden Can Be Lifted BY
The Protective Tariff.

Washington. d. c. - Senator Cur
it's estimate of possible billion of
customs revenue to be derived from
the restoration of protective tariff
rates is by no means overdrawn." de-
clares the Republican Publicity As
ISOLATION, through its President, Hon.
Jonathan Bourne. Jr. "The tariff sit
uation today presents startling ex-
ample of how the Democratic assur-
ance that lower rates meant increased
revenues and decreased living costs
failed to materialiZe. BY the end of
September of this year we had import
ed S4,35S, 900 worth of goods which
paid duties of 265.OOO,OeO, on an av-
erage ad valorem rate of about per
cent During the rfist 3 months of
1913, the last under protection, We i'm
ported sl,S27 100000 worth of goods,
which paid 1927, 73O, 900 in duties, or
an average ad valorem of Is per cent
Thus, in 1920 three and one-third
times the imports of 1918 paid reve-
nues something less than s27.0OO,O00
in excess of those of 1913. This is a
mighty big wash and a precious little
hang-out. The Republican ad valorem
applied to the Democratic imports
would have spelt half a billion dollars
more in revenues than was actually
received
THE Payne-Aldrich tariff law was
much maligned measure During its
life, l909-1S, its average ad valorem
was under 20 per ment, while the
Wilson-Gorman law of Democratic
parentage, during its mill-killing car
reer averaged over 81 per cent. The
fault lay in the fact that the sched-
ules of the latter were all out of joint.
But Senator Curtis estimate does not
entail the adoption of tariffs prohibi-
lively high. Along about 1899. 1900 the
average ad valorem Just shaded 80
per cent. Assuming that $500, 900, 900
worth of foreign goods can be annual
ly absorved by this country during tire
next decade without paralyzing do
nestle industries, ii is plain that a
80 ner cent ad valorem would realize
$1,000 Coo 900 in revenue. At the pres
ent time. with goods coming in at the
rate of se,0O0OOO,000 annually, about
s360000,000 in customs revenues is
the most We can hone for by the end
of the current year. this being at the c
per cent. rate.
During the fiscal year 1920 we i'm
ported s112,000,000 worth of cotton
manufactures; s141 100000 of hemT
and linen; s97,0O0.00O of silk: s43,.
100000 OF wool; and s4O,0O0,00O Of
leather. OF raw wool. s213 1000, 900;
vegetables oils, $195,OOOOOO: bread
stuffs. S60.000,000; meat and dairy
products. s42O00,O00; fruits, $4,000,
900; vegetables, s47,0O0,O0O - thes,
eleven schedules alone totaling ST.
040, 100000. Our luxury imports fol
1920 Appropriated another billion il
value. A 30 per cent average ad val
orem applied to those imports woul,
have yielded 60 per cent. of the Curt.
estimate. Our agricultural and man
ufacturing interests must be protected
and those who demand foreig nluxur
les should be willing to pay for them
There is today disparity in wage
American and foreign, greater thai
before the war. The man who wa
earning $3.50 a day in this country II
1913 is receiving $500 or more today
The man who was getting four shil
lings in Great Britain in 1913 is earn
ing something like eight shilling
now. Where the pre-war disparity be
| twee nthe American and the British
was was $3.50 day, 1t is now $500
| Hence, tariff law based on the diff
ference in cost of production at hom
and abroad, with labor costs account
ing for from GO to 80 per cent. of tn
| total. might reasonably provide an av
erage ad valorem rate of 30 per cent
without prohibiting importations {,
an extent which preclude foreign com
petitors from enjoying fair shar
of the American market, and withou
jeopardizing our own export trade b
way of foreign dis elimination
against our goods. But, Of course. be
fore any tariff law can be worth tn
effort required to draft II, the wag
Garner must give full return for tn
wage received Without that tariff
are unavailing and a healthy prosper