Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-09-17
Protection"
is SHOWN UP
Editor Henry G. Teigan Dis
cusses Tariff Question
at ASkov Meeting.
Dwells Also on the Power
Question, Taxes and
Party Government.

The concert by the Askov band and
the address by Henry G. Teigan of
Minneapolis, editor of the Farmer
Labor Leader, in the Askov park Sun
day afternoon was enjoyed by good
sized crowd. The weather was ideal
and Mr.. Teigan was accorded unusual
" close attention during his hours
discourse on economic and govern
mental questions. Visitors were here
from nearly all parts of Pine county
and some folks from out of the county.
Mr.. Teigan said that the Farmer
Labor party is the only strong third
party in the country, and the state OF
Minnesota is taking the lead in this
movement Some months ago he spoke
in his old home town in Iowa which
was a very conservative community.
Recently he was back there again and
found that the sentiment is rapidly
changing toward progressivism.
In 1918 the Republicans gained con-
troll of congress and have practically
been in power since, said the speaker,
but added that a change will likely
come next fall, for conditions are al
most intolerable with about 100000
people out of work. These people, the
workers in villages and cities, are the
best customers of the farmers and
when they do not work and have no
income they cannot purchase the pro-
ducts of the farm, and consequently
the farmers have gotten into as bad
a condition as they wish.
The Tariff Bungle.
The folly of the socalled protective
tariff was pointed out by the speaker,
and especially the latest attempt to
protect" the farmer by enacting the
Hawley-Smoot law. A high tariff wall
is penalizing other countries when
they trade with us, and they are final
ly "shot to pieces" when the balance
of trade is continually in our favor.
Canada was one of our best customers,
said the speaker, buying in a year
5000, 100000 worth of goods from us
when we sold S5OO.000,000 worth to
them. The recent tariff act brought
retaliation from our neighbors to the
north who are people much like
those in the United States, and it also
brought retaliation from European
countries for they are not so simple
that they will stand for any sized
tariff wall put up by countries with
whom they trade. The American con-
sumner finally pays the tariff to the
protection of American industry but
where there is a large exportable sur
plus like on wheat and other farm
products the tariff is not effective on
the home price.
Republican congressman voting for
the McNary-Haug bill when it came
up in 1924, admitted by that vote that
the tariff on farm products where
there is an exportable surplus is not
effective, said the speaker, for the
purpose of the bill is to make the
tariff on such products effective. Now
they have hardly the crust to talk
about the protection American farm
ers are getting through the tariff.
The duty on wheat is 42c per bushel
United States has been lower or about
the same as in Canada the past two
years. The Liverpool price practi-
cally fixes the price in wheat export
ing countries.
Best Bill Presented.
While the McNary-H augen bill was
perhaps not a perfect document, said
Mr.. Teigan, it was however the best
of such measures proposed in con-
gress, and had for its purpose that of
making the tariff effective on wheat,
cotton and other farm products. 1t
was passed twice by congress but We
toed by President Coolidge and Presi-
dent Hoover has also said nix. 1t was
certainly much better measure than
the act establishing the federal farm
board to which Hoover gave his ap-
prevail in the name of farm relief.
In 1920 the Esch- Cummings law was
passed, this measure guaranteeing an
income to the railroads; the big bank
ers got their federal reserve act, but
the president said no to the farmers
when they asked for approval of their
bill.
Dwelling briefly on the Norris
Muscle Shoals bill Mr. Teigan said
that citizens of Minnesota would not
be so directly affected by this as
would the people in the southeastern
states, but indirectly it will affect
the people of the entire country if the
project is handled in manner that
will serve the people best. The gov
eminent has spent $15O,O00,0O on the
dam which develops an enormous
power that can be utilized on the farm
and in hundreds Of villages and cities
for light, power, and heat. The cur
rent is produced at fraction OF a
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