The Lamar register., 1922-07-12
An Insular Senator


OF Virginia is one of those numerous
Democratic leaders who put forth
arguments favoring the purchase of
commodities of local production with
out fully appreciating the force of the
same argument when applied nation
ally" says the Republican Publicity
Association, through its President,
Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr. Senator
Glass is owner and publisher of the
Lvnchburg. Va, News, and, like all
rublishers, does lot of boosting for
h.s home town and its interests. In
recent issue, the News gives the first
fo- the. support Of the local Chamber
o. Commerce, project which of
course, calls for contributions from the
pockets of the people OF the commun-
ity Among the good purposes of the
chamber is 'to encourage buying at
home and buying home products d"
"Now just analyze the proposition
which Senator Glass holds out to his
constituents. He wants them to tax
themselves to maintain a Chamber of
Commerce to induce themselves to
buy home products and thus build up
their common interests. Yet. in nat
ional legislat ion, Mr.. Glass is opposed
to protective tariff the purpose of
which iS to levy an import tax in order
60 ind mi. 20. l.
mcstic products rs : means of building
up our common national interests. II
there is any Fundamental difference
between tie two propositions, we fail
to see it. Mr.. Glass and his Demo
cratic associates are in favor OF tax
to build up local interests-they are
opposed to a tax, part Of which, at
least, will be Paid by the foreigner, to
build up our national interests.
Local pride ought to be sufficient
to induce every individual in Lynch
burg to buy local products, hut exper-
fence demonstrates that pride in the
achievements OF the community is not
sufficient incentive. there or else
where. There must be community
action in order TO promote the common
welfare; and so IL is in national affairs.
Lynchburg is a peanut growing COM
munity, and every American. whether
residing in the vicinity OF Lynchburg
or in the farthest corner OF the United
States, should buy and consume Amer
lean peanuts il possible. But experience
show that importers. always looking
for the largest margin Of profit. will
buy peanuts in Asia at low price
and bring them here TO be sold without
any Information as TO the place of pro-
duction. For the purpose OF limiting
that sort of business, and compelling
the importer TO contribute to the sup
port Of the American institutions, tire
Republicans propose TO place an ade-
qua.e import tax not only on peanuts
but on every other commodity which
car be produced in this country but
which can be imported cheaper from
some foreign country.
if is pretty much the same as one of
the purposes of the Lynchburg Cham
ber Of Commerce, which Senator Glass
wants the people to tax themselves 20
support-to induce the buying Of home
products. Every local Chamber of
Commerce in the home town Of every
Democratic Senator or Congressman
has the same purpose. Yet Senator
Glass and his Democratic colleagues
refuse to see the similarity or the
application of the same principles in
the two cases.
ave would suggest that the next
time the Senator's paper makes plea
for Tie purchase of local products il
point out any reason why there should
not be national community action to
encourage the purchase Of American
products by Americans everywhere"