Governor Nelson Dingley lives on: Maine, California, Norway and protectionism

This article examines, from Norwegian sources, the stormy relationship between the local American canned fish industry and the Norwegian producers – and American importers – of Norwegian canned fish, principally ‘sardines’ (sprats) and herring. American opposition took the form of protectionism, either as direct import duty, or by implied criticism of the Norwegian industry (use of child labour or ‘inexperienced’ producers, or claims of ‘dumping’ sub-standard goods on the US market). Opposition varied with the national and international politics and economics of the day, with Republicans and Democrats raising and reducing tariffs depending on the state (and complaints) of the local canning industries in Monterey and Maine. The Great Crash and resulting devaluation of foreign currencies against the dollar, and thereafter abandoning the gold standard, also played their part. The Dingley Tariff, the Payne–Aldrich Tariff Act, the Underwood Tariff, the Fordney–McCumber Tariff and GATT are treated in more detail. In the end, it was acknowledged that it was not a matter of competition, but of preferences for Norwegian sprat canned in olive oil, as opposed to American herring packed in cottonseed oil, and primarily marketed to Norwegian immigrants. In all, the issue lasted for over 70 years, ending in the words – to the Norwegian National Canneries Association – ‘ Congratulations unanimous win in tariff commission’.