The Washington herald., 1913-08-17
Change IN FARM
PRICES DOUBTED
Senator Williams Inclines to
Belief that Tariff viii Not
Reduce Cost.
GOOD PROGRESS MADE
Agricultural Schedule Nearly b Con-
pleted-connittee Sustained
on Banana Tax.

| on banana lax.
That the new tariff law Is not likely
to reduce prices Of farm products below
what they are at present, notwithstand-
ing many have been reduced and others
cut. was the statement of Senator John
Sharp Williams. who was in charge Of
the tariff bill yesterday.
| Senator Gronna of North Dakota had
complained that fifteen important prod
ucts of the farm had been free listed
In the bill to the great disadvantage Of
the American farmer; that the Treasury
Department will lose approximately
| SIS, ,00O. 900 in revenue while Canada would
| be greatly benefited by the admission
Of these products to the American mar
| ket II was to this complaint that Sem
ator Williams expressed the opinion that
present prices would not go lower on
| these products Of the farm.
81 do not mean to say that the prices
will not be lower than they would have
| been IL we had not put the articles On
| the free list" said Mr.. Williams. what
| I mean is that extraneous conditions
are at work that will keep prices up
| for a considerable time to come. would
not be surprised II present prices go
higher in the future"
Senator Gsllinger said this would be
disappointment 10 the people III New
England who had been told by the Dem
ocratic orators that the cost OF living
| would be reduced.
Some Prices Lower.
Senator Williams replied that 1t would
be reduced on clothing. steel products.
anu anu .,a"y a.. a,.t - T,,,ng ua said
inlo ,ne uaiy Us y. . srhaS
tne iarihef "ou'u SCI
"me' - -. ban
30 the benioe an ar po i =.
ing the Cost Vi h.s
| setisheo .! PLACING Iree "aou riaan
iree cast iIUh pipe oa 'ns Sa,ns CT.
nreahlas' 'aoie'
hnger. ,.. .
Inc peihoSIs ,,, ma W.. ,hsv
win . ,:,ea,, ,h.,, b.d .b. ct
isfaction of knowing that the agricul-
tural schedule practically had been co;.i-
pleted.
The debate in the Senate revelVed
chiefly around the proposed tax Uf one
tenth OF ! cent a pound on bananas.
Senator Burton insisted that 1t was tax
on the consumer; that bananas were Inc
food of the poorer working classes, ana
that the countries bordering on 'the Ca
ribbean Sea thf> produced the irui' "ouiu
resent the tax
Senator Weeks or Massacnuse''s aiso
condemned the panama TAX. ,,,
senator -"hiiaHs fhaoe s
10 snow tIa' 'iIe .aN @ pto =, han.nss
10 ABOUT cen' on 80 that
11 ui,ieu, a.u n,,is :, :, ,av II because
.ne nst @ hanan.. now Ia about 100
a s -, In III. oninion
9TH. t,y will be lost in the shufie."
.sid Mr., Williams Sometimes between
the limited Fruit Company, that imports
IL. and the man who buys II from the
rush cart and eats it," said the Senator
from Mississiuppi. somebody will ray
the tax and forget to charge II against
the next man IN line Some person VIII
make 80 per cent proht on the banana
instead of 100 per cent.
IT., .,os.s, yots vc. racorded' ON an
ns,,an, as disclosed bv the roll cali
on the banana duty, The committee
NO. sustained by only three ma ajority,
the vote be,ng Il to 2s. There were many
Democratic absentees. Senator Thornton
of Louisiana, Democrat. voted with the
Republicans, who stood as a unit against
the banana duty.
Next to the controversy over the pa
mana tax, probably the most interesting
discussion was over an amendment Of
fered by Senator Lodge In the interest
of the New England fisheries, tine
Gloucester Fishermen as they have
come to be known. Senator Lodge
asked for the retention of the Payne
Aldrich duties. He was voted down, $
to q. Senator La Toilette and the other
Progressive Republicans voted with him.
Senator Lodge took a shot at the FL
nance Committee for raising the House
duty on marine sardines,' which, he
explained. was polite name Tor her-
r.is ca.sn' oh ~. 80 90 ,ha Dan,o-
vi Sehn'S, ' - LIN ,n ths
craao man -,
senate, anu Pies.u IN .,,,s.s .,a
When Mr' Loue n sr
inference was ine'i.ao'e '"' a'
benehciary II was oe'ter 10 ue iaAe ,r,A
herring than a Gloucester mache,ei' me
committee decided 10 recoihnit the par
agraph relating 10 pineappies pre-
served In their own juice.
Senator Jones Of Washington made
determined effort to have the duty OF 10
per cent a bushel on apples. plums,
peaches, and like fruits increased to 13
per cent to meet the duty imposed by
Canada on the same articles coming
| from the United States. But he lost by
vote Of s6 to 25 Senator La Toilette
and the other Progressives stood by Sem
ator Jones. In fact, he secured all of
the Republican votes and the vote of
Senator Thornton of Louisiana, who is
Democrat. ''