The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-02-17
OwoSsO. MICH. FEB. II. 1911
Fordney Leads the Fight.


Rep. Fordney of Michigan, held the
boards in the House for an hour oil
Two Tuesday afternoon as the lead.
ing insurgent against President
Taft's Canadian reciprocity agree.
Inent, and as is usual when Mr.. Ford.
ney speaks, the House was full oil
members and the air was full of fun
likewise Of questions and rejoinders
and slap dash rhetoric and eloquencs
1t is always a running debate with
MIR. Fordney in it and they came af
ter the Michigan man from all sides
and angles, sometimes so many call
ing on him for recognition that he
had to ask them to take turns while
he dealt with them.
Many members asked questions, Nicl
Longth worth interrupting, said:
The gentleman is aware, Is he not
that our negotiators endeavored to
have meats put upon the free list
but were unable to do so on account
Of the objection on the part of the
Canadian negotiators?" said he.
''Oh, yes :" shouted Mr.. Fordney
"btt know we have been bunkoed
by the Canadian representatives into
p free trade measure from which we
will receive no benefits whatever. f"
tApplause.)
Mr.. Longworth-"And the gentle
man must realize that 1t was Canada
who refused to reduce that duty"
Mr.. Fordney-"Why not? OF
course they had the wisdom and they
exercised it and declined to accept
anything that did not give them an
advantage"
Mr.. Longworth-"The gentleman
then should not criticise this partic-
uIar bill or the negotiators If they
failed to do what he says he proposes
70 do by an amendment or endeavor
to do by an amendment"
Mr.. Fordney-"Let me answel
that. / do criticize our representa-
iives for throwing us down to Cana
da by surrendering body, soul and
breeohes to Canada. daughter. }
Now will yield to the gentleman
from Indiana"
Mr.. Cox of Indiana-"The gentle
man has said we were bunkoed into
this bill. If so, who put on the bum
koeing on foot; who started it,"
Mr.. FOrdney-"I did not, can
answer that much. (Laughter.)
know this much, my friends, that in
the last year and half congress had
appropriated 100000 of the peo-
pies money to aid the so-called tar
III board in obtaining some informa-
ton to present to congress that they
might intelligently act on such mat
tors and not one single word have we
directly or indirectly heard from that
board. applause on the Democratic
side.) The president makes no ref
erence whatever in his speech to any
report made by the tariff board The
100000 has vanished"
Mr.. Burleson-"Will you vote for
the continuation Of this appropria-
ton bill?"
Mr.. Fordney-"l diG ~ 1ote for
the creation of a permanent tariff
board to report to congress when
congress required any information
they have as to the cost of produc-
ton in this country on all articles
men toned in the tariff law and what
ever reliable information they may
have obtained as to the cost of the
same articles aboard, I did it reluct-
ently. / did it against my own good
Judgment, but i know the public SEN
timent of the country that is in favor
Of a tariff board or tariff commission
because congress has been criticised
In the preparation of our last tariff
bill that it was too hastily prepared
and without full knowledge on all
subjects"
Mr.. Burke of Pennsylvania--"Th
gentleman is enc Of those who has
defended the last tariff bill on the
theory that the men who framed it in
the ways and means committee were
possessed of an abundance of &C
curaye Information.
&Ir. Fordney-"That was no can
did opinion. SIR
Mr.. Burke-"Is it not a fact that
the gentleman and his associates on
that committee are, If anything more
expert In that knowledge than the
tariff board itself?"
Mr.. Fordney-"Why, ! think so
(Laughtcr) ] answer that sincerely.
think that the committee on ways
and means, with the information
which they have obtained, is better
Informed than the president of the
United States"
Nov, Mr.. Chairman, let me go to
The subject Of farm machinery which
IL is proposed TO keep on the protect
ed list, TO protect the great institu-
tons of this country and not the con-
sumers at all.
Mr. Hill-"Before the gentleman
goes to that / hope he will state in
connection with the remark just
made, that farm machinery is now
admitted into this country free from
Canada, or can become so at any
time, whenever Canada will admit
it free from the United States"
Mr., Fordney: "Oh, no; Ii is free
from all the rest Of the world except
these people. Let me tell you, Mr..
Danbury Hats" CLaughter.)
=: Mr. Hill: 81 am very glad indeed
to listen to Mr.. Canadian Logs"