The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-05-12

tulS xe0QcCL - WituVoe go S4~~t -
the history Of any people. The leg
islation now being perfected, under
the guidance Of the Republican Com
mittee on Ways and Means OF which
am chairman, will maintain the past
performances of our party IN this re-
gard.
While referring to matters concern
ing the Committee on Ways and
Means, l desire BRIEFLY to call atten-
ton to the magnitude and significance
of present importations Of foreign
merchandise. Imports have increased
with alarming rapidity and every few
months new high mark is establish
ed. The last high mark was set in
March, one month ago, when imports
reached the unprecedented total OF
1923 100000. This can best be under
stood when we consider that GIN 1914
the year prior to the war, when our
balance trade had reached the vanish
ing point and the volume of imports
was causing concern, the average was
$150, 100000. 90 per month. Last
months total of 23,000,00000 was
three and one-half times as great as
the pre-war maximum, and the most
marked gains were in shipments from
Asia, where the lowest standards of
living, the longest hours of labor and
the cheapest scale of wages in all the
world prevail. The pre-war monthly
average of imports from Asia was
$23, 100000, while last month their
shipments to America amounted to
$143. 800, 000-a gain of 500 per cent.
With no little surprise and embar-
rassment at the outbreak Of the war,
our industries were found to be hope
lessly dependent upon foreign count
ries for many essential supplies and
raw materials. As never before we
were brought face to face with the
realization of the great Importance
of being selfsustaining. With fever
ish haste and at great cost, many new
needed industries weree developed in
America, but simultaneously similar
industries were established by Japan
and now these products Of Asia are
finding their way to our markets.
During the war we heard the slogan
"made in America we heard much
talk of the necessity Of commercial
and industrial independence. We said
never again will orr industries be
crippled in the event of an embargo
O nforeign supplies Are we so soon
forgetting? Shall we look with com.
placency upon the increasing ship
ments from the orient? Prior to the
war the insufliciency and Ineffective
ness of the Underwood Tariff Law
was in eveidence-industry anguish
ed and unemployment was every
where in evidence. That same made
quate tariff law is on our books today.
Under its operation with the revival
of production abroad our manufac-
turers and farmers will encounter the
greatest of difficulty in competing
with the product of foreign cheap
labor. We must have the kind of a
tariff law that will encourage indus
try and provide full employment for
our citizens; the kind of a tariff that
will make and keep America self
sustaining and reflect credit on the
slogan "made in America"
Not only is the Underwood Tariff
Law a menace to our prosperity, but
i has occa stoned 4 GREAT loss of rev.
enue at a time when revenue was
most needed Ten years ago approx
imately 80 per cent of our total rev.
enue collections were derived from
cutsom receipts, while in 1919 GUS
toms receipts furnished but 81 per
cent of our revenues The average
rate of duty under the Dingley Law.
on total imports, was "a per cent;
under the PAYNE Law It was 1913
uer cent and when revenue was so
badly needed, in the year 1919. it was
but So per cent. We collected 1926
per capita under the Payne Law ana
I but $1.67 per capita in 1919-the
lowest since the civil war.
With imports three ami one-half
times rs great a. ever before, ! be-
lieve | am conservative in saying
500 100000 Of revnue could advan-
tapeously be provided the Treasure
under an adequate tariff. and | believe
! am equally conservative in the con-
fient prediction that the next ar
ministration will be ON that viii
favor such a tariff law. The country
was ieG pstray in 1912 bv meaningless
verbs thew viii be led back this year
by indsputable occurrences, by signif-
icant conditions and by facts full OF
meaning.
In the congressional campaign of
1916 the agencies Of the government
were turned into a great advertising
agency, cap:talizing the war to pro-
claim the virtues of the democratic
party, ard this conspiracy Of self
praise and misrepresentation was
carried on day and night. But the
people of America got glimmer of
the facts. They saw the President
r.eddling in the election. trying to
Cefeat Republicans who had voted To-
yally for every war expenditure, and
they realized that politics IL adjourn
ed" was a mere hypocritical pretense.
They saw the marrow partisanship
and gross incompetency of Burleson
and Baker and others, and for the
first time in the history of this
country and people in the midst of a
war, reversed the majority in both
the Senate and House of Represent
atives, and turned the Democrats out
Of power IN Congress, as they will m
November turn them out of control.
of the executive department Of this
government.
America turned the tide and won
the war. Then came the arrangement
Of tha fay.rnc &C noona Mr. Wilson