Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1922-06-29

world conditions are more settled
and the tariff requirements of the
country are known There. are
no telling at the present time how
any legislation is going TO effect the
domestic export and import trade
in view of the radically changed and
more complex trade conditions as
compared with pre-war years"
This is very typical of the argu-
ment that is now being used by all
influences opposed to the enactment
OF an American protective tariff.
Free traders, importers, internation-.
al bankers and other interests Or
posed to the enactment of a protec-
tive tariff are flooding Congress and
the newspapers with literature and
arguments all to the effect that now
is not an opportune time to protect
=. American Industries. II is urged
that we should wait until business
conditions in Europe are normal be-
fore we attempt TO write new tar
if.
1t is difficult to be patient with
such illogical and un-American ar
gument. In the first place the time
to protect American industries is
when American industries are the
most threatened, ana there never
las been time in the history of
the world when relative costs of
production in this country and in
Europe were farther apart and there
tore the menace of European i'm
ports was greater.
The individual, the business con-
cCIn or the group of interests which
argue at any time that it is not
oppOrtune to protect American in
terests are themselves un-Amer;can
and are influenced by. if not actu-
dliy controlled and financed by. Eu-
ropean interests wi.ch would profit
by the destruction of American in
dustry.
The argument that no tariff should
b. written in this country until
world conditions become normal is
asinine. No student of history and
70 observer of European conditions
but knows that it will be at least a
generation before conditions become
normal. No great upheavaI such as
III" World war which absolutely
".n7' ont all economic landmarks
ard remakes the map of the world
"a take place without leaving in
lis wake at least a generation of re-
construction.
History is positive upon this point
1t took Europe over so years to ap-
= zach anything like normally. fol-
lowing the Napoleonic wars. An ex-
ample nearer home and within our
own time: The Civil war in the
United States ended in 1866 yet
conditions did not resume what
might be termed normaicy until
1879 with the resumption of specie
payment, a period of Il years from
the time the Civil war closed. The
lest students Of world conditions to-
. day estimate half a century ne
cessary before economic conditions
VIII Approximate normally. 1t is
conservatively estimated it will he
at least 10 years before currercies
which now are greatly deprecated in
scores of European countries. will
approach the normal rate of ex-
change that prevailed prior 70 the
World war.
rms estimate is based upon the
supposition that evrything will work
together for the reconstruction of
europe. If. however. evil conditions
continue to prevail in Russia and in
other parts of the world, this peri
oo or reconstruction will be much
lengthened and conditions will yer
return TO what might be termed
normal within the life time of any
adult now living. In view of this II
Is preposterous to talk about most
ponfng the enactment of tariff
until conditions are normal II
cannot be done. 1t is the sheerest
ioiiy even TO propose it. 1t is great
r FOLLY to contemplate the proposal
seriously.