The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-01-12
The Tariff Tangle.
The Press on the Coming Tariff
Discussion.

II the Un1Ced SCaLeS senate depends
to any extent on press opinion in it's
consideration of the Fordney tariff
measure for farmer relief, it will have
pretty hard shedding The North is
sure that the measure is vicious class
Legislation solely for the purpose of
"currying favor with the farmers" the
effect Of which will be to increase in
tolerably the cost of living. Most
Southern papers are trying to con-
vince the senators that the bill is
mere "sop to the South" (Memphis
Commercial AppeaD, going through
the motions of providing relief for the
Southern farmer while in reality it is
only placing him where he cannot pro-
test when the next congress creates
high protective tariffs for Northern
industries. Papers which support the
measure claim that what American
agricultural interests must have is.
protection, while those which oppose
are equally convinced that what is
needed is not protection from foreign
competition, but an outlet for denies.
tic production.
The senate would learn, from the
Richmond, Va, Times-Dispatch
(Dem.), for example, that "the fight
for protection for projections sake"
can be conducted under new align
ment in which the farmers of the
South and West, once so hostile to the
principle, will be found working
shoulder to shoulder for a new DEAL"
in which they will find the East "more
than willing to lend them every assist
ance in order to secure still more pro-
lection for itself" But senator's
would also be informed by the Mil
waukee Journal (Ind.) that Schedule
K is not the nations idea of recon-
struction for the new day." Possibly
the situation will justify the predic-
ton of the New York Herald (Ind.)
that when the Fordney bill reaches the
senate cit will smash into a stone
WALL"
The whole matter of tariff for farm
ers is a reversal of history" the
Newark, NJ j., News (Ind.) points
out since ''the farmer, by and large,
has been the historic opponent of the
tariff" Nevertheless the Spokane
Spokesman-Review (Ind. Rep) as
sures us that" 1T is different now The
American farmers, North, South, East
and West, are demanding protection"
demand which has been voiced by
"every large agricultural association;"
and, the Reno, New, Gazette (Rep.)
adds, "the country demands it." The
"desperateness of the situation" as the
San Francisco Chronicle (Ind.) phras-
es it, arises from the condition Of
the exchange" since "the foreigner can
sell in this country for real money"
and further, the Rochester Democrat
and Chronicle (Rep) shows, he Sc
cures "a higher price here than he
could at home, even if he undersells
his competitor" A Democratic paper
in the wool-growing area, the Butte
Miner, approves the move as an "anti-
dumping" measure entirely justified
by conditions.
at has been quite a practice" it
points out" for the citizens of differ
ent nations to break foreign markets
while maintaining their own at high
level, by disposing of their surplus
products at less than actual cost in
other countries. Undoubtedly the
wool men of the United States at the
present time are victims of this prac-
lice.
The only argument against protec--
tor of the American wool grower, as
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jnd
Dem.) sees it., sis that which assumes
that it would be an economic benefit
for the whole industry to be des-
troyed and depend in future entirely
on import for our wool supply" an ex-
pertinent which the paper is not will
ing should be tried.
All of this suggests the fancy" to
the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
(Dem.) that the markets of America
are flooded with the farm products
Of other nations" when, as matter
Of fact, "that trouble is not that the
farm products of other nations are
coming in, but that the products of our
farms are not going out" The real
help which the farmers need, agrees
the Oklahoma City Oklahoman (Dem.)
is "in selling their products abroad,
not in keeping foreign products out
of the United States" and the Ithaca,
N. Y, Jolrnal-News (Ind.) asserts,
"you cannot create foreign markets
by protective tariff duties. Further,