, 1922-07-06

The statement has been made on
no less an authority than Senator
McCumber. of North Dakota, chair
man OF the senate finance committee.
that a large number of metropolitan
newspapers are being coerced into
opposing the pending tariff bill by
wealthy importers who carry large
advertisements in the columns of
these dailies. This is also the con-
tention of many of the more promin-
ent supporters Of the measure. In
calling attention to this matter Sem
ator McCumber took occasion I o sub
NIT samples of several kinds of mer-
chandise imported into this country
on which importers were making
profits Of from 275 to $500 per cent.
adding:
This campaign OF misrepresenta-
ton, against the tariff is centered in
the big cities where the importers
advertisements dominate the news
papers. But the thousands of daily
n weekly newspapers throughout
the country whose prosperity depends
upon American prosperity - the
newspapers which serve and inform
the great mass Of Americans - are
not thus influenced, as Ia evidenced
by their impartial handling Of tariff
news and their fair editorials. The
great reservoir of democracy in this
country lies in the small cities and on
the farms. These people are not mis-
led by the importers propaganda.
They know what II mean.
Here Is the great metropolitan
press Of the country. representing
the great department stores who pur-
rhaTe its advertising space. The de-
Artrn ont ofnras oro hath I'm rNrfore
and retailers Of the same article.
They are the ones. through the
press. that are c~ondemning this
tariff as being ar imposition upon
them and saying that 1t will require
them to raise their prices to the con
sumner. I seek to meet that by
showing that. taking their present
selling prices and the profits they
make over and above their IMPORT
ing prices. they can absorb the so or
so Or 70 per cen and 1t will scarcely
be a drop in the bucket compared
with the spread between the import
ing prices and their retail prices"
1.-THE metropolitan press has always
been against protection since the ad-
vent Of the great department stores
and their mighty influence through
the medium Of Advertising" de-
~ OCAhto NlCI luoy
may be Republicans on everything
else, but when 1t comes to a tariff
bill they have always advocated the
interests of the importer"
The Senator emphasized the fact
that the little country merchant is
compelled to buy much of his stock
from these large importing stores
which sell to him for a small dis
count below the retail price. He
gets no benefit from the cheap prices
paid abroad. and II there be a surplus
of these articles the country mer-
chant finds that this surplus is be-
ing c~atalOgued and sold in competi-
ton with him in his own territory"
A fow DAYS after Senator McCum-
her had made these statements, Sem
ator Watson OF Indiana presented
n had printed in the Congressional
Record some concrete evidence,
Showing the strangle hold the retail
and importing establishment have
on some of these very great publica-
tions and newspapers" An Ameri-
can manufacturing concern wishing
to advertise in one of the larger
newspapers in the country was told
that "either the advertisement
should quote the lowest and the
highest figures at which the goods
are offered wholesale, or else it