OCR Text |
Show THE TARIFF AN EQUALIZER During the past year the government collected on imports to this country, the record sum of $605,626,z00 on products valued at $4,430,890,000, To let foreign commerce with low production costs causea mainly by a very low wage scale, enter our country tax-free woulci play havoc with American industries and agricultural crops. Even public-minded American citizens in moderate circumstances, would not buy American products if they could purchase imported ones of the same quality at a much lower price. It is the desire of our government gov-ernment to see that a fair deal is given both foreign and American industries, and it has very well succeeded. American wages are the highest in the world today and they must be protected. Were the tariff abolished, the American working work-ing man unquestionably buy a number of commodities at decreased prices, including farm products. But the American manufacturer, to meet cheaper foreign competition, would have to cut costs, and wages would drop accordingly. The tariff has not hurt our foreign trade as was amply proved when over four billion dollars worth of goods were imported last year. What it has don is to equalize selling prices so both the foreign for-eign and home industry can sell in the home market. It may not be perfect but it works fairly, well. |