The Cordova daily times., 1921-01-14
FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1921
THE OLD THREAT OF EUROPEAN
 REPRISALS

Our presidential electors have not yet assembled, and still we hear the old threat that European nations will resent raising of the tariff to a pro- tective basis. How strange it would be if we did not hear that well-worn phrase.
 When the free traders of this coun- try did not know how much harm the low tariff would do them they pledged us wonderful anti-dumping system. Under this far-reaching law they would force the Briton and the Bull garian, the Hungarian and the Hindoo, the manufacturers in Paris and Poly nesia, to inform us what their goods cost, and anything unfairly cheap would be excluded. Now their tune has changed. Instead of telling us that Europe must show her costs of production to our authorities the con- plaint is that Europe will resent our action in protecting our own work shops. It is undeniabIe that Great Britain long protected her industries, that France and Germany have done the same, that every other nation in the whole world guards it's workshops when 1t sees fit to do so, but we are not to be allowed to do so. No de- tails are given. It is simply charged that foreign powers will resent tar if made for ourselves and not for them.
 Foreign influence has had a share in making several low tariffs, but when have foreign nations taken ven geance on us for adopting protection? The tariffs of 1924, 1928 and 1842 did not involve us in European war. Our Civil war tariff was unpopular in Great Britain, but how could we have got along without it? MCKinley's tar if did not bring any calamity upon us, though its successor did. The Dingley bill came, we had contest with Spain the next year, it is true, yet no one has alleged that protec- ton caused it. Under the Payne schedules the country went ahead, and it will do so under the next tariff the Republicans place upon the stat ute books. The resentment of the Flu ropean will not prevent him from sell int I1ThO hn us what he needs.
 A hundred years of threatening have gone by. From 1880 to 1860 the cry was that if we protected our in- dustry the south would break up the union. From 1860 to our own day there have been solemn warnings that whatever we do to shield our indus tries will be resented by those who want to control our market.
 The free trader dies not always buster. He frequently seeks to be plausible and even demOnstrative, as when he says that if this nation does not buy of other nations they will not buy of us. This will do for kinder garten, but it is riddled to pieces ill a boys debating club.
 When do nations buy and sell? Not often. It is true that France, Spain Mexico, Russia, Colombia and Den- mark have sold us real estate; but the overwhelming majority of com mercial transactions are between in- diViduals, not between governments. The desire of individuals to pur- chase comforts or luxuries is so great that no war ever annihilated a long established trade. British cloth found it's way to French buyers and French brandy was smuggled into England even in the days of the long Napol- eonic struggle. Germans bought Brit ish goods during the late contest. Be- for the war was officially at an end commercial travellers from London and Leipzic were ready for new busi- ness. What evidence is there to show that the future will be radically diff ferent from the past?
 Should our tariff rates be doubled, squared or curbed the European will buy of us what he can get cheaper