The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-09-15
HOLDING PINK TEAS

foreign manufacturers, having failed
to impress Congress with the business
of its arguments against the Amer
lean valuation system, has now turn
ed to the women as a forlorn hope.
The said Council has announced
through the daily papers its purpose
to argue its case at parlor gatherings
of the women in different parts of the
country, meetings having already
been held in Chicago and other large
cities. We understand that the re-
representatives. of the Council are tell
ing the women that the American
valuation will add to the cost to the
consumers of all classes of goods.
Fortunately the women are not so
ignorant as to be fooled by such un-
true statements. The only thing
which the American valuation system
will accomplish is to make all foreign
goods of comparable character pay
the same amount of duty, the basis
for the assessment of duty being the
wholesale values of such goods in this
country, instead of the varying prices
of the different foreign countries. A
pair of scissors made in England will
pay the same duty as a similar pair
made in Germany or another similar
pair made in Japan. If the duty on
the English scissors is fifteen cents
the duty on the German or the Japan
ese scissors Will also be fifteen cents,
though the foreign values may differ.
Under the law as it now stands, the
English scissors would pay fifteen
cents duty, the German possibly ten
cents duty and the japanese possibly
eight cents duty, the rate of duty be-
ing the same but the foreign values
being different. The claim is made
that it will be impossible to ascertain
the American wholesale values, pro-
posterous statement when it Is now
expected, under the present law, that
the appraising officers shall ascertain
the wholesale values in all foreign
countries. If they can learn the for
eign values in all such countries they
certainly will be able to learn the val
ues right here at home. The truth
of the matter is that the importers
greatly object to the American valua-
ton because it will prevent them from
deceiving the appraising officers con-
corning the real values. They are con-
stanttly undertaking goods and, only
too often are able to cheat the Gov
ernment out of the legal amount of
duties.
The women no less than. the men
are awake to the menace of unre-
stricted foreign competition which
permits foreigners to sell their goods
here at starvation prices, but which
low prices do not benefit the consum-
ers, because the importers pocket the
profits and do not permit the consum-
ers OF reap the benefit of lower prices.
The result is, that domestic workmen
are driven out of employment and
only importers and foreign producers
profit by the great impOrtatiOns of
foreign goods which have been made
under the Free-Trade Underwood
Tariff. 1t has been amply demon
| strated that Free-Trade does not
benefit the consumer, for we have had
/ Free-Trade ever since the fall of
/ 1913, while prices have never before
been so high.
/ 1t will not do to listen to the false
| statements and arguments of the paid
lawyers of the foreign manufacturers
who are simply saying what they are
: hired to say. Before giving credence
/ TO any propaganda, it is always we'll
/ to find out who is back of it. The
/ opposition TO the American valuation
is financed by foreigners who want to
sell their goods in this country. They
have sold so many goods here now
4 that nearly six million American
workers are now idle and suffering
! for the necessaries of life. The only
thing which viii give these workmen
/ employment is a return to an ade-
quate Protective Tariff, one of the
necessary parts of which, under pres
ent conditions, is the American valua-
/ tion system. The women know that
/ as well as do the men.-American
| Economist.
Miss Ruth Thomas has accepted
the position of assistant at the County
Farm Bureau Office. This place was