Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-10-14
THE TARIFF QUESTION

The tariff is, and probably always will be until it is
settled right the chief economic contention between the
major political parties. Mr.. Hoover like Senator Smoot
Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate and
Senator Watson Republican leader of the Senate has
learned nothing about the tariff since he entered politics
There was time when the doctrine of high protection
applicable to the then existing economic conditions
That time when the United States was changing
from exclusively agricultural nation into one in which
the manufacturing industry becoming important
factor the day of Infant industries the develop
ment of which supposed to be dependent upon q
tariff high enough to enable them to compete with the
manufactured products of foreign countries III which
ufacturing established industry The infant indus
tries of America rapidly grew into gigantic proportions
and by means of aborsavng machinery and highly skilled
workmen became enabled to successfully compete with the
manufacturing industries of the greatest manufacturing
countries in the world
The father of high protection, now known was
William Mckinley, then Congressman from Ohio and later
President of the United States AS President Mr. McKin
ley to realize that tariff which excluded the prod
ucts of other countries also operated reduce exports to
those countries He finally the conclusion that only
through reciprocal trade could the foreign Of the
United States be maintained The last speech he ever de-
ivered at Buffalo, in September 1901 contained the change
in his point of view. He then said:
The period of exclusveness has past The expansion
OF our trade and commerce is the pressing problem
policy OF good will and friendly trade relations will prevent
reprlsas Reciprocity treaties in harmony with the
spirit OF the times of retaliation are not
Is
manfesy essential with the continued heahful growth
OF our export trade"
The original author of reciprocity in international trade
was James G. Blaine of Maine for many years the idol
OF his party in the United States gifted with great
political foresight He made the doctrine of reciprocity
shibboeth of his party in his day. through it hoped
and expected to develop great trade only with Europe
but with Central and South America
Some OF the industries of the United States which grew
to gigantic proportions eventually dominated the Republican
party through control of its leadership The enormous
revenues through increased prices of their own products
by shutting out competition into their own pockets
and by supplying campaign funds to the party they DOM
mated they able to control its economic policies for
their financial advantage
The present leadership of the Republican party is still
subservient to these industrasts have monopozed
the home market for their products the great detment
and injury of exportable agricultural products The pres
ent leadership OF the Republican party has repudated the
leadership and the craftsmanship of both Blaine and Nc
Knley and has caused to be enacted tariff bill which
makes reciprocal trade impossible until the present tariff
law IS radically changed and the treaties made Hereunder
have been abrogated.
Governor Roosevelt stands for revival of our foreOn
trade which in 1929 amounted to $4,000 and has
suffered reduction of 70 per under Mr. Hoover and
the tariff policy of exclusion and avors reciprocal trade
agreement Mr. Hoover stands for the policy that has
our foreign trade and reduced agriculture to ser
DOM " SUI