The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-07-28
THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE
PROTECTIVE TARIFF

their employees, it would not be econ
omically justified. The purpose of
the Protective Tariff is to benefit not
only the ones named, but the gen
-eral public as well. In other words,
an adequate Protective Tariff makes
for general prosperity. It prevents
foreign producers from closing our
mines and our mills, and forcing our
farms to lie uncultivated and unpro-
ductive, because foreign products
food our markets and prevent the sale
of our own products. We must labor
in order to live and we must receive a
profit for our work and investments.
Free-Traders urge that we should
lower production costs, which is all
very well if it be practicable. But if
we should lower labor costs, the larg-
est element in production costs, SO as
to permit US to compete with foreign
countries, we should soon see wide
spread ruin, and the country of which
we are so proud would soon be the
abode of desolation. When the at
tempt to lower wages from a war
basis to a normal basis has caused so
much trouble, it is asking too much to
even suggest any lowering of wages
below pre-war levels. 1t will not be
done, for it cannot be done and it
ought not to be done.
The laborer is entitled to the Amer
lean standard of wages and the en-
ployer is entitled to that Protection
which enables him to pay that stand
ard. 1t is best for the country as a
whole that wages be high-that is
high as compared with other nations.
The American workman eats bettSr
food, wears better clothes, lives in a
better home and enjoys more of the
necessities and luxuries of life than
the workmen of any other nation. 1t
is in every way desirable that this
should be continued and the only way
in which that may be done is through
a speedy return to the policy which
has heretofore made such conditions
posisble-adequate Tariff Protection.
But there is another consideration
which must not be lost sight Of, and
that is that it would be just as detri-
mental to the general prosperity Of
the country to place Tariff rates too
high and then allow price-fxing by
the monopolistic interests. Hereto
fore Tariff rates have been so admir-
ably adjusted under the different Pro-
tective Tariffs as to permit of suffic-
lent foreign competition to prevent
domestic monopoly. We believe that
it is the purpose of the present Con-
gress to so frame the law now being
formulated as to continue this policy.
But we cannot harmonic such pur-
pose with the plan to engraft an en-
barge system into our Tariff laws, for
such a system is diametrically op-
posed to the policy which we have out
lined.
The people of the country are just
waking up to the fact that they have
been led astray by the false state
ments of the ''dye circle" and that
they are in danger of being forced to
nav tribute in even greater measure
to this grasping monopoly. Even now
dves which should cost 80 cents per
mound are held for SO per pound.
Imagine what the price would be II
the "dye circle should have undls-
pute dcontrol of the industry for
term of years.
In this connection we beg to call at
tention to an editorial which appeared
in the Doylestown (Pa.) Intellgencer
of June 18th. AS our readers know
the Intelligencer is one Of the
staunchest Protectionist papers in the
country and is second to none IN It's
Americanism. The editorial is head
ed Monopoly, not Protection" and
reads, in part, as follows:
Hidden in the Emergency TarlH
dasioned to benefit all of the people
nv protecting the farmers from un-
fair foreign competition, is a section
which Laws the public open to the
worst exploitation any monopoiy
could impose
Attention is just being called to
this ran4lly unjust discrimlnataon' pos
sfbly because the American puDne mas
ND to this time been so tnorougn1y
under the influence of the propaganda
calling for Protection OF the amer
lean dye industry in order that II
might be able to continue to stand up
against foreign competiIlon. Inc
country wanted this industry protect
ed but, taking advantage OF tins raw
orabIe attitude, it seems, the dye mon
opolists went the limit, and by some
means succeeded in getting an en-
barge on chemicals and dyes.