OCR Text |
Show SOME REFLECTIONS ON TARIFF TINKERING TINKER-ING OF THE DEMOCRATS. "Duty free imports comprised 71.G per cent of the total imports for September, 1915, and 61 per cent of those of September, 1914. Their increased in-creased percentage this year reflects the marked growth in imports of factory materials, mostly on tho free list." This is quoted from the advance ad-vance statement of our September trade, issued by the department of commerce. A great many other things are reflected in thnt paragraph. It also reflects the marked growth in imports of meat and dairy products, farm products generally, gener-ally, fish, etc., which are coming in free of duty. But it docs not reflect any decrease in the cost of living. The reason why the average rate of duty on nil imports for the past year hovers between 11 and 12 per cent is reflected therein, which, In turn, reflects the reason for the fat deficit in the treasury. It reflects the reason why the administration ad-ministration would like to filch republican plumage plu-mage and 'restore sugar, wool and other articles to republican rates with the declaration thnt it is "prlmnrily for revenue with incidental protection," protec-tion," and this sudden conversion reflects the r.ppronch of campaign year. It reflects so much that it gives good cause for reflection, nnd thnt is exactly what the American pcoplo nrc doing todny. The result of that reflection will find Uncle Snm, in 1917, ready for the gong to sound which nnnouncca the beginning of tho battle roynl for commercial supremacy that is scheduled sched-uled to take place with the cessation of wnr. It means the return of the federal government to a sound business basis, and thnt means the restoration res-toration of the republicans to power. |