The New York herald., 1921-02-18
A Mosaback Tariff.

The United STATES Senate hes passed
tariff bill pretending TO help the
American farmer. But II that moss
back measure. totally unsuited 70
present conditions, became law TO-
day. as the Senators know and can
not help knowing, ii would be the
worst thing that could happen TO the
American farmer.
What American farmers are most
suffering from to-day is the fact that
from 100000 to 5 100000 wage earn
ers of manufacturing industries in
this country are out Of work Every
one of these workers is a large con-
sumer Of our own agricultural prod
ucts when he is getting a fat pay
envelope once a week. So is his fam
ily. When his pay is cut off he and
his family reduce their consumption
OF farm products and every thing else.
And when from 12,0O0,009 to 20,000,-
600 American consumers. the best
livers and strongest buyers of food
products in the world, thus curtail
their spendings on the table the
American farmer WITH his food prod
ucts to sell gets body blow
But if the tariff biz passed by Con-
gress for the relief of the farmers had
q chance on earth to escape the Presi-
dents veto it would throw perhaps a
million, possibly two million, more
wage earners in manufacturing in
dustries out OF work. Their present
purchasing power withdrawn from
the home market, in addition to the
purchasing power OF the three to five
million wage earners already out,
would put the finishing touch on the
misery of the American farmer.
This crude, clumsy and dishonest
tariff, If in operation, would kill off
the purchasing power of another
million or so OF consuming wage earn
ers, because it would stop the pur-
chases of foreign countries which are
now buying our manufactured exports
by the billions of dollars. Canada,
our second largest customer In the
world, pays us, and must pay US, for
what she buys from us largely with
agricultural products and other raw
materials. So must South America.
SC must the West Indies. SO in truth
must other continents and countries.
If our raw material imports from
them were shut out they would have
to stop buying our manufactures, for
the good and sufficient reason that
they then could find no way to pay
for them.
When our exports OF manufactures
were relatively meagre, as they were
only few years before the war. cut
ting them off entirely would not have
been a great shock. Now when they
are SO colossal as to be measured in
billions of dollars heavy reduction
Of our exports of manufactures. not
to mention elimination of them, could
spell nothing but national disaster.
For Congress then to try To help
the American farmer at time like
this by closing down more home in
dustries and throwing more wage
earning consumers out Of work, when
the farmers market depends over
whelmingly on the purchasing power
OF the home consumer, is like Offering
to cure n farmers toothache by cut
ting his throat.
But the Senate knows, and the
House knows, that this tariff, which
would be deadly TO the American
farmer. will not escape the Presi-
dents disapproval, will not be re-
passed over his veto, and therefore
will not become law. So, not to
mince words, as Senator MOSES has
not minced them In denouncing his
fellow members for their humbug ac-
ton, this tariff measure is nothing
but plain fraud-and fraud on
the farmer himself.