The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-12
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L WILL .rp~se<sSsa--
prosper America first. The privileges
of the American market to the foreign
producer are offered too cheaply to-
day and the effect on much of our
own productivity is the destruction of
our self reliance, which is the founda-
ton of the independence and good for
tune of our people. Moreover. imports
should pay their fair share of our cost
| of government.
| One who values American prosperity
and maintains American standards of
| wages and living can have no sympa
thy with the proposal that easy entry
! and flood of imports will cheaper our
| costs of living. 1t is more likely to
| destroy our capacity to buy. Today
| American agriculture is menaced and
its products are down to pre-war nor
mails, yet we are endangering our fun
! damental industry thru the high cost
of transportation from farm to market
| and thru the influx of foreign farm
products. because we offer essentially
/ unprotected, the best market in the
world. 1t would be better to err in
, protecting our basic food industry than
| paralyZe our farm activities in the
world struggle for restored exchanges
| The maturer revision of our tariff laws
| should be based on the policy of pro-
| lection, resisting that selfishness which
| turns to greed, but everconcerned with
| that productivity at home which is the
source of all abiding good fortune. 1t
/ is agreed that We cannot sell unless we
| buy. Our ability to sell is based on
| home development and other fostering
of home markets. There is little SEN
| timent in the trade of the world
Trade can and ought to be honorable
but 1t knows no sympathy. While the
| delegates of the nations at war were
| debating peace terms at Paris and
while We later debated on our part in
completing the peace, commercial
4 agents of other nations were opening
/ their lines and establishing their out
| posts with forward look to the NOR
| rows trade. 1t was wholly proper and
| has been advantageous to them Tardy
| as we are it will be safer to hold our
own markets secure and build thereon
for our trade with the world.
| Government on Business Basis.
| A very important matter is the
esta blishment of the government
| business on a business basis There
was liberation of the easy going, un-
| systematic method of handling our
| fiscal affairs when indirect taxation
! held the public unmindfuI of the fed
| eral burden. But there is contribut-
| ing of the high cost of government
| today, and the high cost of living is
I inseparably linked with high cost of
| government. There can be no COM
plete correction of the high living cost
/ until governments cost is notably
| reduced.
Let me most heartily command the
| enactment of legislation providing for
the national budget system. Congress
! has already recorded its belief in the
J budget. 1t will be a very great salts
| faction to know of its early enactment,
so that it may be employed in estab-
| fishing the economies and business
| methods SO essential to the minimum
| of expenditure.
| I have said to the people we meant
| to have less of government in business
| as well as more business in govern
| ment. 1t is well to have it understood
| that business has a right to pursue
it's normal, legitimate and righteous
| way unimpeded, and it ought to have
| no call to meet government competi-
| ton where all risk is borne by the
1 public treasury.
| There is no challenge to honest
| and lawful business success. But
| government approval of fortunate, I'M
| trammeled business does not mean
| federation OF restraint of trade or of
| maintained pri e s by unnatural
! methods 1t is well to have legitimate
| business understand that a just gov
| eminent, mindful Of the interests of
| all the people, has a right to expect
! the cooperation of that legitimate
| business in stamping out the practices
| which add to unrest and inspire re-
| strictive legislation. Anxious as We
| are to restore the onward flow of
| business, it is fair to combine as
| surance and warning in one utterance.
| Price Drop Not Equal.
| One condition in the business world
| may well receive your inquiry. De-
| flation has been in progress but
| failed to reach the mark of which il
| can be proclaimed to the great mass
4 of consumers. Reduced cost of basic
production has been recorded, but
| high cost of living has not yielded in
like proportion. For example, the
| been Debated, but the cost of bread
| and meats is not adequately reflected
| therein. 1t is to be expected that non
| perishable staples would be slow in
| yielding to lowered prices, but the
| maintained retail costs in perishable
| foods cannot be justified.
have asked the federal trade COM
| mission for a report of its observa-
| lions and it attributes, in the main,
the failure to adjust consumers cost
| change of information by "opsn price
| associations which operate, evil
IDENTIFY within the law, to the very
| great advantage of their members and
| equal disadvantage to the consuming
public.
| without the spirit of hostility or
haste in accusation of profiteering,
| some suitable inquiry by congress
might speed the price readjustment to
normal relationship, with helpfulness
Of both producer and consumer. A
measuring rod of fair prices will sat
isfy the country and give us a business
revival to end all depression and I'M
| employment.
The great interest of both the pro-
Queer and consumer-indeed, all Our
industrial and commercial life, from
agriculture to finance-in the prob
lens of transportation cost into a
helpful relationship rather than con-
tinue it as a hinderance to resume ac-
| tivities.
Scores Government r. r. Management
| little IN he wondered hat al