The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-26
Rep. Palmer, Democrat, of a
Pennsylvania Steel Dis
trict, Demands a Reduction
in Tariff Rates. ..
BATTLE ON TARIFF
is TO LAST A MONTH
Palmer Says that the People
of His District Have Lost
Their Old Fear of Tariff
Reduction.

tNationai News Associattonl
WASHINGTON. Jan ss.-The tariff
battle in the house was begun today
when Rep. Palmer OF Pennsylvania, i
democratic member Of the ways and
means committee. opened the debafs
on the bill revising the steel schedule.
Tariff will occupy the center OF tho
legislative stage for month. for the
steel bill 10 the first of several tariff
revision measures to be reported BY
the ways and means committee Of the
house. ... .-...,
Debates on the steel bill. which cut
existing rates 80 to so percent. will
consume several days, a. there are
dozen members who want to defend
or attack the democratic measure.
In the opening defense Of tho bill to-
day Rep. Pamer declared that FOR
Pennsylvania. representing a ricl,
industrial district, openly and strongly
to advocate a reduction in the duties
on steel and iron and their various
products, presents an anomaly which
would have been stranger to contem-
plate generation ago than 1t IL now"
. catis 9tssi King.
Continuing Mr.. Palmer declared that
steel 10 our king and Pennsylvania ita
royal palace. but. he said. the people
in his district and throukhout tho
country. had abandoned their old fear
Of tariff reform.
The Pittshurg millionaire. said Mr..
Palmer, has been able heretofore to
convert the smoke OF their chimnsys.
which gauges the strides Of their &C
cumulation Of wealth, into Republican
vDtas, only bocausa labor has hoea
slow 10 awaken 10 the fact thst IL has
not received its due share Of prosper
ity.
Now the Illusion, ID being rapidly
confined to the realms Of ancient his
tory. the people OF PENNSYLVANIA. re-
gardless OF party, are losing their fear
Of distress they had been taught. to
believe would result from any tam
pering with the tariff."
Mr.. Palmer referred to = recent dec
laration of Andrew Carnegie that tho
steel industry does not now need pro-
lection. He said that Charles Schwab.
on the other hand had declared tho
tariff necessary.
I 'The one 10 the statement, OF teach
er who has made his pile and safely
tucked 1t away. The other II state
ment of pupil whose activities In the
harvest Aeld are employed more In
reaping dividend checks than In clip
ping coupons said Mr.. Palmer.
Mr.. Palmer accused Schwab s OF
small like advances,"s In the wages
paid his employees.
"Mr. Schwab's reasops for demand
ing tariff protection are interesting e.
pecially when the rapid pace with
which the profits Of his corporation
have increased under the operation of
an ample protected system, ~ conn
pared with the snail-like advances In
the wages which he has grudgin8ly
accorded the men In his employ. His
plaintive appeals to labor lose much OF
their power to persuade when met
| by his own statement Of the cost OF
production here and abroad. and by
his action. under the tarin. Of keeping
| labor down to the condition DESERVED
in the report Of the commissioned Of
labor, who Investigated his plant In
| 1910" .-