The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-19
Advocates of Tariff Reform
Declare They Are Disgust
ed With Attitude of Con-
gresS on Tariff.
CRITICISM ADDS FUEL TO
FIRE OF INDIGNATION
Manufacturers and Owners of
Various Industries Grow
Rampant and Will Make
Pleas Heard.

indianapolis, Feb. 19.-Spurred on by
the words of John Barrett the head of
the Bureau of South American Repub-
lies in which he said the general opin-
ion in Washington is that the move
menr or the tariff commission conven-
ton is the work of fools the conven-
ton has become more determined
than ever in the work Of camping on
the trail Of congress.
The leaders are fully determined to
try to force congress into granting the
petition for commission to gather
data for the tariff revision at the spe-
cial session.
This determination on the part Of
the manufacturers means fight right
down in the trenches of every congress
sional district of the country where the
factory has strength.
Barrett, who has been minister to
half dozen countries and who is an
authority on South American trade
said:
II was going into theater in Wash
ington when I met Congressman Dali
zell. l remarked that l was coming
out to Indianapolis to the convention
and he said: Yes, it's going to be a
great gathering of crazy men,"
In regard to South American trade
Barrett said:
THE share of the United States in
this total does not exceed five hum
dred and sixty millions of dollars, in
Guiding both imports and exports, and
the balance of trade is overwhelming
ly in favor of Latin America. II we
would modify these conditions and
would gain our share of the business
which goes to other sections of the
world. but which ought to be ours, we
must study the situation in all its bear
ings. make reasonable concessions. and
II necessary, negotiate reciprocity
treaties and apply the maximum and
minimum tariff as may be demanded"
Discuss Ways and Means.
Last night Mr.. H. E. Miles who Is in
way the father of the whole move
ment and live wire in agitation call
ed a meeting of the executive COM
mittee at the Claypool hotel and dis
cussed the way in which the cam
paign is to be carried on.
1T is our intention to get the tariff
commission bill through at the extra
session II possible" said Mr.. Miles af
ter the convention had adjourned. 1T
will take us about ten days to get our
organization started, but we shall be
on hand when the extra session con-
venes. Congress evidently does not
realize the change of public sentiment
as to the tariff. Up until few months
ago the textile interests were solidly
stand pat. Now a considerable portion
of that interest is strongly for the
commission since Interpretation as to
schedules Is seriously threatened.
Then there are the zinc men of Missou-
ri and other states who allege that an
industry valued at $1OO,OOO,OOO IS
threatened with ruin because of an in
depreciation obtained by the Guggen-
helm and Steel Trust interests by
which Mexican zinc is now being ad-
mitted free into the country. Next
can zinc is taken from the surface by
peon labor. American zinc mining re-
Quires shafts and costly hosting ma
chinery. A few months ago the zinc
people were as happy as could be. but
suddenly the industry is thrown into
panic by a little manipulation as to
classification, etc.
Country in an Uproar.
This country is in an uproar as to
this tariff business and I look for a
mighty stormy time when the ways
and means committee of congress pub
fishes the new tariff bill Seven years
ago the public was not especially inter-
ested in tariff schedules, but now there
has been SO much education that 4
violent uproar is bound to come when
the new bill is offered to the country.
So as see it, while the manufacturers
of the country may be crazy as con-
gressmen have seen fit to call us. yet
/ am confident that congress will glad
ly wash it's hands of the whole tariff
proposition before the new tariff be-
comes law and in the future trust the
whole dificnlt problem to commits
sion Of experts. The tariff commits