Evening star., 1921-08-02
Editorial Digest
A Tariff on q Tariff.

American valuation on imported
goods as basis for duty is opposed
say the SUPPORTERS Of this theory of
taxation, lit is not sufficiently under
stood" The Springfield Republican
independently, however. explains the
Fordney measure as the return to a
method discarded 125 years ago."
duties shall be assessed upon i'm
ported merchandise in accordance
with the value thereof at the time
and place of importation" and the
Republicans comment Is typical OF
| those who oppose the measure when
valuation scheme can be fairly said
to be primarily designed to raise
prices in this country and incidental
ly make the tariff something which
could be manipulated as never be-
fore to the selfish advantage OF
American producers as the expense
OF consumers"
The defenders Of the measure. on
stressed by the Denver Times (inde.
pendent) that much ignorance has
been discovered even among i'm
porters and manufacturers regard
ing the nature of the American val
uation plan, while there has also
been misconception as to its results
many having gained the impression
that it would produce higher tariff
On the contrary. the Times states:
THE American valuation seems
destined to work out for legitimate
advantages of American Industry and
should find a proper place in the
tariff bill when finally adopted"
The Phoenix (Arizona) Republican
independent progressively also sees
| advantage in the fact that "all vari-
ations in the foreign market value OF
a irrfl q ~<n<J
from two or more foreign countries
would disappear" under system
which accepted American valuation
and this would remove undue ad-
vantage" to countries with low pro-
duction costs, and. further. since the
lected on all similar goods from all
countries on a given date. the sun,
collected would be increased"
While the Baltimore News Unde-
pendent is unwilling to defend or
criticise" the scheme as regards its
effects on this side of the water, yet.
as broad attempt to meet an ut
terly abnormal foreign situation" the
News sees in 1t "a plan that offers
possibilities Of immense, substantial,
II indirect and perhaps not easily
measurable. benefit" The St. Paul
Pioneer Press independently recounts
| some of the numerous arguments" in
favor Of the plan. among them the
fact that 1t would stop "undervalua-
tion Of imports by foreigners" encour-
aged "by the German cartel system u
circumventthe present depressed and
| fuctuattng values of foreign money
and. further. would impose equal tariff
duced instead Of making the tariff
lowest on goods from a country in
winch the wages are low and highest
when the highest wages are paid"
FOR the most part. however. the news
papers see little good on the scheme
porters that the measure will kill our
foreign trade. The Chicago Tribune
independent republican, presents the
view OF the merchants who declare:
| NO overseas exporters will ever be
| able to figure cut what that Ameri-
can market for comparable and com
petitive' native products actually is
on the day his goods start on their
| travels. nor will he be able to make
a price which, plus duty, will surely
be able to stand up in our markets"
This phase Of the question is also
commented upon by the Brooklyn
Eagle independent democratic). which
declares that there is no dispute as to
the necessity Of having the stream of
commodities flow in both directions"
that we must buy as well as sell" and
nobody has tried to explain how we
Sdu Uuy II tne cost OF WnAt Is pur-
chased cannot be known until it has
been determined by our customs
houses"
The indianapolis News (independent) }
says: THE value Of the domestic ar
ticle. which Is to be taken as the
value of the imported article, would
itself be raised by the tariff, and the
result would be that we would be i'm.
posing tariff tax on q tariff tax.
There Is even possibility that taxes
might be indefinitely pyramided. The
bill. whether so intended or not, Is a
great price-lifting scheme, and its ef-
feet would be to take the taxing pow
er away from Congress and vest 1t In
the very men whom it is proposed 10
protect"
American valuation Is vicious in
principle" according to the Newark
News independently. calculated to pile
up living costs and "to demoralize for
eign trade" and the Cleveland Plain
Dealer independent democratic) con-
siders the plan "a subterfuge for
higher duties that will accrue not to
the advantage of the country as a
whole. but to that Of special Ameri-
can producers" This thought is also
expressed by the Fort Wayne Journal
Gazette (democratic) in stronger Ian
guage when 1t calls the measure a
miserable conglomeration of crooked
schemes for the benefit of a precious
few at the expense Of the millions
upon whom the merchants depend for
their prosperity"