[Willie Green]

Sorry if I read more into your post than what you intended.
On these tariff threads, I've become accustomed to whack-nuts claiming that Smoot-Hawley was the MAJOR cause of the Great Depression. Heck, Smoot-Hawley was not enacted until more than 8 months after the October, 1929 collapse!

Same thing with this article: the claim was made that Pennsylvania's steel industry played a major influence in the 1860 election. Back in my reply #17, I point out that Bessemer hadn't even invented his process until 1856. Carnegie didn't see it until 1872, and the Edgar Thompson works opened in 1875.

[Ditto]

I've become accustomed to whack-nuts claiming that Smoot-Hawley was the MAJOR cause of the Great Depression

I never heard anyone claiming it "caused" the crash of '29, but I have heard many well respected economists say that it deepened the recession and caused a cascade effect that prevented recovery --- i.e. Depression.

Looking at that chart, I was amazed at how high the rates were. I had not realized they were that big and that broad based. From a pure economic standpoint, it does not appear to be either a revenue increasing plan or a pragmatic protection tariff for key industries, but a massive tax increase, in the midst of an economic downturn --- Not a smart move.

Maybe after I finish fighting the Civil War, I'll dig into the Depression. ;~))