The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-08-06
Congressman Fordneys Views on the
Tariff Bill.

Tariff Bill.
Washington, July 3O.-Congressman
Fordney has tested President Taft's
| firmness to the limit. Even after that
| famous presidential letter to the con-
ferees, Fordney visited the White
| House with Calderhead to make one
last plea for higher rate on lumber
He, told the President that he did
not ask this for himself, but that the
western senators might be consoled
and that their votes for the bill might
be insured. Fordney said that days
ago he had given assurance that he
would be satisfied with SLIPS lumber,
If that was what the President wanted.
The President smiled genially at
Fordney and Calderhead and did not
bulge. He would not, even go up five
cents on the thousand feet. He made
it plain to these members that his
written word would have to stand I'M
til the cow came home.
President Complimented.
Despite their disappointment at
the Presidents hands, both Burrows
and Fordney are also handing out
compliments to the President. They
say that besides being genial, he has
proved that he will stand very firmly
for his convictions.
At almost the last minute, Fordney
secured the continuation of the Ding
ley rate on shingles. He made plea
particularly for the shingle men of
the state of Washington, who he said,
would suffer from Canadian compe-
tition under the proposed senate rate
Of fC
ley rate of SO cents per thousand was
restored.
Party Pledges Redeemed.
Fordney declares that the bill as
perfected in conference is a complete
redemption of the party pledge.
81 have never conceded that we Re-
publicans committed ourselves to
downward revision" he said But
this bill gives downward revision in
liberal measure. | am convinced that
We did not sufficiently stand by the
true Republican principles in declin-
ing to establish new industries.
with higher rates on several ar
ticles we could have transferred large
industries to our own country. I be-
lieve that it is o serious mistake not
to include the duties on lamb skin and
goat skin gloves for ladies. With the
rates upon which the President insist |
ed this industry cannot be established |
in America, and we must continue to
buy such gloves from abroad.
1--WE should also have had some |
duty on sea island cotton, of which |
we imported 100000 pounds last
year. A reasonable duty would have |
do |
have produced all this cotton which |
We use. A higher rate on scissors |
would have transferred that industry |
to this country Now practically all |
of our scissors come from foreign |
countries.
1--WE ought to have had a higher |
rate on cotton goods. Last year we |
imported $73,000,000 worth of cotton !
goods. The rates agreed upon by the |
conferees are about 10 per cent lower |
than the intention of the Dingley law,
and slightly higher than the construc- |
ton which the courts have put upon |
the Dingley law. l believe that the |
rate of 1915 per ton on print paper, |
as agreed upon by the conferees, will |
slaughter that industry.
Where Canada Profits.
This depends somewhat upon what |
Canada does with wood pulp, but my |
expectation is that large portion of
this paper industry will be transferred |
to Canada. But notwithstanding these
appointments, l think that we
should all stand for this bill and see
1t go through. It is now a Republican
and as whole it is good.
"The increase on hosiery of the
cheaper grade is altogether proper
and demanded by that industry in
competition with which 100000 pairs
Of hose were imported last year. The
increased duty will not increase the
retail price, for the profit on these
goods is now from 100 to 300 per
,ent-so great that the duty is not
9rpe in cOmnaricnn ~