OCR Text |
Show Free Trade Works Both Ways The belief that the farmer would be able to purchase manufactured goods at a low price if the tariff bars were let down is largely mythical. A large proportion of his important equipment is duty free, and has been. There are unquestionably other articles art-icles that cost him a little more because be-cause of duty imposed on them for the protection of competing American man ufacturers. If free trade were to be established the farmer could buy these at a low price. This is obvious. What may not be so obvious is that at the same time the quantity of his own produce that could be sold to American consumers would be greatly tut, and the price decreased to equalize competition from foreign producers, who have the advantage of cheap labor Free trade works both ways. In other words, the farmer would be losing dollars to save a few cents. The tariff has grown steadily In Importance. Im-portance. It is more necessary now than Is has ever been because of varying vary-ing world conditions and the widening discrepancy between the standard of living and wages paid here and elsewhere. else-where. Its greatest benefits come to the farmer and the industrial worker. It Is to their interest that it be maintained. |