The Harding Years

Intro | United States Tariff History | Setting the Stage | The Harding Years | Election of 1928 | Hearings & Proceedings | Aftermath | Lessons | References | Bibliography

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With the election of a Republican President, coupled with the subsequent Republican control of Congress and public outcry for Protectionism and self-sufficiency, a return to high tariffs was inevitable.

In 1921, hoping to provide temporary relief to farmers and the agricultural sector, the Emergency Tariff Act of 1921 was created. This tariff raised the tariffs on wheat, sugar, meat, wool and other agricultural products imported into the United States (9).

This Act was revised in 1922, with the creation of the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act. This act did the following:

• Raised tariff rates to historical highs

• Granted the President the ability to raise or lower tariff rates by up to 50 percent on certain items

• Introduced the American Selling Price (10)