The Washington times., 1921-12-05
What Able American
Merchants Say About
the American Valuation

The american VULU0JIOn
active business for himself for than fifty years
and never in business for anybody EXCEPT HIMSELF
Nathan Strauss retired from active work, knows
and merchants problems
Nathan Straus says:
1.-THE dangerously vicious, harmful, extrava-
CANT unsettling and demoralizng suggestion ever
made is that of American valuation in the Fordney
tariff bill
at will add to the worries and uncertainties of
merchants and interfere with business by making it
uncertain and risky
"What inspires the American valuation idea, can
not guess 1t nearer to insanity than to sound
business
cit will give work to thousands of public officials
adding millions to the national payroll, if that is what
is wanted. The thousands of officials will be only
guessing; there is such thing in business as Ameri
can valuation .@$@z
"You buy goods abroad, and the Government
know POSITIVELY what the value Of the goods is.
1t shows in the invoice the American consul at
test it. and the custom house here pass il. -
'The plan of FOREIGN VALUATION has always
been followed since have had tariff, and is
that every sane tariff measure earth adheres to-.
''To establish American valuation, called, is to
put the merchants of this country at the mercy of
official whims No will dare buy, for he cannot
tell what inexperienced young gentleman of the
American valuation staff will do.
eff you have hundred different men in this coun-
try saving offhand what American value is you will
have HUNDRED DIFFERENT VALUES.
ga merchant can buy goods, knowing what the price
u.s. showing his invoice to the Government, knowing on
what value the Government will tax it. That is DOING
BUSINESS.
"But to buy your goods and bring them ill., and
wait for less ignorant individual, whose
cousin uncle may be competing manufacturer, to
tell you the value of the goods the American plan
is to make sane and sound merchandising absolutely
impossible
'f the object of the Fordney tariff bill is to shut
out all mportations deprive the of the bene-
fit Of international trade and competition, why not
say 80 at oncei
already sufficiently harassed you may 60 abroad and
buy, and after you have bought and imported, weT
tell you over HERE what your goods are worth and
what you have got to pay R's
That means end of importing and an end Of COM
petition in manufacture which is just important to
American industry a. is wise and just protection,
which heartily apprcv&"
What Nathan Strauss founder Of very great business
says is said also by Others most important and activ
among the merchants of the country.
For instance John G. Shedd, of Chicago, who, wit
James Simpson, now owns the great house Of Marshal
Field Co., says in letter to Representative Fordney
published in the Chicago Herald and Examiner:
"Our experience in buying and distributing
chandse for more than fifty years convinces that
the practical and successful method Of assessing duties
in vogue for hundred years should not be dis
carded for theoretical untried and impractical plan
that will inevitably increase the cost of living to the
already overburdened consumer, and in Judgement
bring disastrous results to the United States'
The ultimate decision rests with President Harding
advise effectively against the proposed commercis
nonsense that would disturb every merchant And,
need be, he eectualy squelch such with hi
veto
He will undoubtedly consult merchants that he knows
whom he has confidence. The two men quoted here ar
worthy the fullest confidence of every American bushes
man, and of every public official