Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1916 — DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN CARE OF “AFTER THE WAR-WHAT THEN?” [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN CARE OF “AFTER THE WAR-WHAT THEN?”

Many “old guard” Republicans like Cannon, Watson, Fairbanks, Penrose and Smoot are indulging in loud lamentations over the sorry plight to befall America if the close of the European war finds us without a.tariff act of the Payne-Aldrich variety to prevent the destruction of our manufactories by foreign dumping. Possibly they do not know that the anti-dumping act, passed by congress in September last, will absolutely prevent any such condition. Possibly the speeches of the gentlemen were prepared before the law was passed, and thy have forgotten to revise them. Anyway, they don’t mention the fact. This law absolutely prevents the injury to any American industry by unfair competition by making it a felony to import manufactured goods for sale at a less price than the wholesale one of similar goods, plus transportation expenses, in the country of manufacture, or other foreign countries where similar goods are sold. A violation of the law is punishable with a $5,000 fine and a year’s imprisonment. Another section of the law authorizes the President to prohibit imports from a foreign country that prohibits the import of any product of American soil or industry. Still another provision of the act clothes the President with power to restrict or prohibit imports from foreign warring nations which may place restrictions on our foreign exports by blacklists or other preferential devices. Finally, the act authorizes the refusal of clearance papers to foreign merchant vessels that discriminate against American shipping. This calamity howling will not catd) intelligent votes. President Wilson has seen to it that this country shall be prepared, industrially as well as from the military standpoint, to meet any emergency evolved by the horrible war in Europe.