Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-12-05
THE TARIFF

Canadian newspapers are already beginning to express
the hope that the new congress, with its overwhelming
nowd deal majority. will lower the tariff barriers against
Dominion products and so permit the sending INTO the Uni
ted States of a flood of agricultural products TO compe,e
with the commodities now being raised by the already
oyerburdened American farmers. The toronto Mali ana
Fmpire stated recently: Every Canadian should know
that during the Mackenzie King regime the United States
customs dnties were so advanced that Canada's exports OF
agricultural products to that country deemed from 9l'o'
100000 to about 100000 per annum. The Bennett gov
eminent had to meet this situation when 1t came into Of
flee. 1t did SO by protecting our farmers and other pro-
ducers from being smothered with imports. But the same
government is on record that it is ready to enter INTO a
trade arrangement with the republic which will be fair to
this country"
If the Canadian government has any hope OF again IN,
creasing the imports of Canadian farmers to the Unlted
States from a paltry $3,000,0OO to $l13OOOOOO, we very
much fear that it is doomed to disappointment. The Amer
lean farmer is already raising enough TO supply the Uni
ted States, with a comfortable margin left over Tor export.
He has been importuned and hired INTO reducing ms pro
duction on the theory that this would raise the real price
and Get rid of his surplus. The question then naturally a.
rises: what will it avail him to decrease his own produc-
ton if tariff barriers are lowered and a flood OF Canadian
products permitted to come into the country! Certainly
there would be neither rhyme nor reason III such a pro
gram, and it is seriously to be doubted whether 1t VIII De
put into effect. Certainly the result would be another pc
litical farm revolt in our Northwest.
The Mail and Empire continues:
$50 far as trade is concerned, Mr.. Cordell Hull, Mr.
Roosevelt's secretary Of state, recently confessed that the
United States has been to blame for extremely high tariffs
all over the world because IL long ago set the resi- vi man'
kind a vicious example in this respect. Mr.. Hull feels thai
the American people have now repented OF tins mistake
and that they are ready to deal with other countries"
The paragraph is erroneous in two respects. First, thu
United States was not and never has been responsible TO
the growth of the tariff system in Europe. Our tariff
have always been designed to strike a balance between tn
are designed as political weapons and weapons OF econom
ic self defense.
After the World War the nations of Europe found thei
treasures empty and their trade disorganized. They ha'
no money with which to buy, and as a matter OF self-pre
servation Immediately began by prohibitive tariffs to in
crease home production. Uncle Sans tariffs had little t
do with this policy.
Secondly, the American people have not tired OF tn
principle of protecting the American wage and the Amer
lean standard of living from cheap labor and peasant an.
coolie living standards of Europe and Asia. II Mr.. Hu
really believes they have, and acts accordingly, he is l
for a rude awakening.