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Show Z i. , - o Z American Protection ; 2 DKOTHCTION may be of an evil or a whole-; 2 some nature. In the underworld the word ; implies immunity extended by corrupt pUMlC nf- ; ficials to those who transgress the law. In a "wholesome way the term means the safety which 2 "Is provided for lawful pursuits. A protective tariff 2 ris held necessary to the welfare of American Z . workmen and is designed to eliminate the com- Z petition which comes from cheap labor. Z It was never intended to give the American I manufacturer a monopoly by eliminating all Z forms of competition. And yet that is exactly Z what the American plan of valuation, as demand- Z cd by Chairman Fordntry of the house ways and means committee, contemplates. So it is that Z in the tariff situation of the present day we TTiave both forms of protection. One is evil; the other is wholesome. ; The American plan of valuation would value " the foreign article at its American value, regard- less of production cost or sale price abroad. This "'means that no matter how efficient a foreign concern might become or how wasteful and ex- e travagant the American manufacturer nviglit he, foreign competition coulJ expect no audience in ; the United States. The whole thing is contrary ' to our spirit of fairness and our national ideals. ; American business has' not yet dropped to ; the point where it needs the sort of protection that is accorded denizens of the underworld by ; corrupt public officers. Remove the handicap 1?. Involved In the cost of labor and the American ""business man need ask no odds. He will hold ; Ills own against foreign competition and will have no fears for foreign valuation in the tariff laws. J The pubHc is vitally concerned In this dis-; dis-; cussion because adoption of the American valua-; valua-; Hon plan means higher prices for many com-; com-; modifies. American manufacturers could deter-imlne deter-imlne prices at will with no fear of competition which would force out any Inflation they might ; cause. Moreover, the action would invite retalia-; retalia-; tory action on the part of foreign countries which I -Wight prove disastrous to our own erport trade. ; "" Senator Smoot has announced his intention ; of fighting the plan of Chairman Fordney for ' T American valuation, declaring that he will vote ".against the action on every opportunity. In this ; he has able support from other senators. They ; are to be commended for their course and it is 1 to be hoped that the tide of opposition will prove strong enough to defeat an American plan of I valuation which is distinctly un-American. ' t a |