The Bismarck tribune., 1921-12-07

in order that readers h,ve both .d. Of
MIR. HARDING AND THE VALUATION PLAN
Congress has adjourned without settling the
controversy over the, impracticable proposal--
was tried once and had to be abandoned as caus
ing confusion-n the Fordney tariff bill for as
sessing duties on the basis of what is called Amer
|ican valuation, which is a highly indefinite thing
compared with the almost indisputabe market
or invoice, price in the country of purchase.
That does not, however, mean that the fight fol
sanity in customs administration at American
posts has been lost. In fact there is every rea.
son for believing that opponents of the plan, as
1T was written when the bill passed the House
are near to victory instead. Dispatches from
Washington have indicated that the flood of pro.
tests from all parts of the country has been wash
ing away it's foundation. It was to be expected
that such would be the case, for these have not
been political protests but the warnings and ap-
peals Of business men and students Of affairs
without regard to party beliefs, tenets, practices
customs or purposes. BIB
1 Their names have been literally sprinkled in
the columns of The Chicago Journal of Commerce
ever since this paper called attention conspicu.
ously to the plan on its bromulgation by the Ways
and Means Committee Of the House and awaken.
ed the press Of the entire country to the menace
to business that lay in it. Scrutinize them and
they will be found to represent both Republicans
and Democrats, both protectionists and free trad
ers, and men and women of many other shades OF
political opinion between these extremes. The
Chicago Journal of Commerce, for instance, as il
has previously said, has no quarrel with the Ford
ney bill itself, believing in goody measure OF
protection for American industry, and so with
many others in the movement to eliminate the
American valuation plan from it, these holding
that the plan is not necessary to prevent under.
valuations, for one thing and thus guarantee the
protection that is sought in the rates. Some OF
these have occupied high places in the Republican
party and still figure prominently in its councils
$50 that the movement could not be ignored al
Washington even though there are many in it Of
opposite faith to that of the administration, who
would see the entire bill obstructed and wrecked
Also we learn that the foundations of the plan
are shaking at Washington not only because Of
the flood Of protests but also because Of the diff
Guilty the experts of the Treasury Department are
finding in their task Of evolving methods for max
workable They cannot devise way or ways
that would guarantee fairness and orderness, a
way or ways that would obviate confusion An
extraordinary situation, indeed, with Treasury
experts baffled and business men of the highest
Integrity and longest experience dismayed lest
Congress should not see the light, and enact this
measure into law
These are considerations that are worthy OF
reaching the White House. National interests arr
in peril. Presider. H"rdinr has not hesitated tc
make due representation to Congress in other oc
casions when attempted ley;slaton has not seem
ed to be for the general good The soldiers bonus
bill of last spring is an instance in kind Their
Congress needed the Chief Executive A simila,
situation exists now. All the signs show that
Congress is no longer in the mood to bow to the
demand of the element that believes this measure
will be panacea for their business ills and only
need to be pointed to way out of the tange A
word from you, Mr.. President, would accomplish
the purpose, and it is this word that The Chicago
Journal of Commerce is asked to request of you
that the American valuation plan be abandoned
and the country's foreign trade thus be spared
while the countrys individual interests still arr
protected Chicago Journal of Commerce.