The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-09-30
THE PROBLEM OF EXPORTS

The Texas Weekly, leading advocate Ill
the South of the policy of restoring mar
kets for this country's exportaole proouctS'
has this to say on the subject IN Its latest
issue:
Basis for criticism that would have more point
IS TO be found in the administrations failure TO
check the decline of agricultural exports, II tf'e
campaign orators could summon sufficient gan "
discuss that subject The total quantity OF agrieui
turai products, excepting cotton, exported oul,ie
1885 was equivalent to only % per cent OF Tue
average amount of such products exported annually
during the FIVE years Immediately preceding the
outbreak Of the World war-from August l, 1892
to July 81, 1914! That really is something to be
concerned about, but the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ora
tors can hardly be blamed for shying away from IT,
For the mention of it brings more talk Inc
colIapse of the farmers export markets was one
Of the things the Democrats blamed on the Repuo-
leans in 1882 The death-bow to the export mar
kets for American products struck by the daw-
1sv-Smoot nonstrosity in June, 1880, winch usn-
cred in wear of international prostratlon that
was climaxed by the Hoover moratorium. Inc
Democratic platform of 1882 had plenty to say
about the Hawley-Smoot law and how 1t destroyed
the farmers export markets. But instead of I'M
dertaking the task of restoring those markets. the
Democrats began shortly after the election to talk
about the farmers tariff" meaning subsidy
paid to the farmer by the federal government as
COMPENSATION for enduring the burden OF INDUS
trial tariffs. Mr.. Landon is talking that way now
thus making it unanimous. Republicans and New
Dealers have thus found common ground on the
tariff question To be sure, there is difference
of opinion over the reciprocal trade act, and the
Republican platform denounces it. But there IS
reason to expect plenty OF so-called Democratic
oppesition to that measure when it comes up Tor
reenactment next spring And Secretary Hull IS
going to need all the support the people can give
him to prevent special interest groups from block
ING its extension. But with the exception of that
measure the two parties in perfect agreement
on this subject They join tremendously in the
chorus: $50 long as there is high tariff manu-
faethred goods, the farmer should receive COM
pensating subsidy" 1t means the exchange OF the
farmers birthright for mess of pottage, but no
matter. Both Democrats and Republicans have
abandoned the old-fashioRed principle of equal
rights to ALL and special privileges to none" They
have substituted for it the up=to-date and new
fashioned slogan, special privileges for ALL mean
ing all organized minorities. Meantime, however
the campaign orators may be expected to continue
to view the Increased agricultural imports" with
alarm. 1t used to be interpreted danger sig
nal, warning of a new move to put the tariff wall
higher when the Republicans began to talk about
the menace of Increased imports. And that might
still DE good rule of Interpretation. u..
The Weekly makes in the foregoing a
fain presentation of this vital issue, as fan
as the attitude of the New Deal and Re-
publican parties are concerned. The New
Dealers have slipped around to the Repub'
liean position and there is now no differ
ence in the expressed views of the two par
ties, Both are special privilege parties, de
termined to shower special privileges upon
any and all organized minorities prepared
to deliver votes in return for subsidies.