The Washington herald., 1913-07-15
SENATOR M'CUMBER
ATTACKS TARIFF BILL
sM00T OFFERS S SUBSTITUTE

The first Republican aseault on the
Underwood Simmons tariff bill yester-
day Was made in the Senate by Senator
Mccumber of North Dakota. who ad-
dressed himself especially to the effect
Of me measure on the American farmer.
THE bin seems to have been conceived
In animosity against every American In
dustry that really needed protection,
said Senator McCumber. But the spe-
cial object of its choler and hate In the
American farmer. The Democratic party
Is the beneficiary Of the farmers in
fidelity to his own party last fall. And
for you now to be his executioner for
the ofYense Of being meled by you
strikes me as being one Of the most
cold-blooded propositions I have ever
heard Of
tariff of 25 cents a bushel on wheat had
bushel during the last year, and that
half of the duty had been paid by the
American miller. He declared that the
removal Of the duty would not cheaper
the price of bread to the ultimate con-
sumner.
"The only people who will be benefited
by cheaper wheat will be the compare
lively few middle men and millers." he
declared.
Senator Mccumber asserted that any
reduction in woolen goods that follows
the placing of wool on the free list will
be the result of business stagnation and
not the result of tariff revision.
He presented figures to show that the
price OF American wheat dropped rapidly
after the passage of the Canadian reci-
procity pact In 1911. and asserted that the
day Canada turned the agreement down
the price of wheat advanced cents In
the United States.
He described the Taft reciprocity agree
ment as an attempt TO trade something
for something" and then delineated the
present Democratic attitude in this man
ner:
'Inasmuch as you turned down our
offer Of something for something. we will
make you a present Of everything for
nothing; We will injure our farmers to
the greatest possible extent, and We will
not ask anything in return. Just send
your wheat over here. glut our markets.
destroy the prosperity of our farmers,
not that the Democratic party loves you
more. but that 1t loves our farmers less.
The Democratic party not only has
turned the country's other cheek to be
smitten by canada, but has tied its
hands and turned its whole face for q
blow"
He criticised the bill because It places
the products of Northern farmers on the
free list and gives the rice growers of
the South duty Of % per cent on rice
Pass this bill as it Is and unless
the cut-throat policy which annihilated
the Republican party in 1872 continues,
there will not be q DEMOCRATIC State in
the whole North" warned Senator Nc
Cumber.
Il am here to declare that II the
tariff should be 80 high as to absolutely
prohibit importations Of every farm
product. it would not improperly or un-
duly increase the value Of these prod
ucts?' said the Senator. "Why? Be-
cause we are still an exporting nation.
We still are capable Of over-supplying
our own markets."
Senator McCumber's prepared address
was delivered yesterday because he
wished to leave Washington temporarily.
Otherwise the speech would have been
until Wednesday or later, AZ
Senator Simmons. chairman Of the Sem
ate Finance Committee. intended that
debate should not begin until July Is
Senator Reed Smoot of Utah. q Repub-
lican member Of the Finance COMMITTEES.
yesterday submitted in the Senate his
substitute for Schedule K OF the Under
wood-Simmons tariff bill.
The schedule covers wool and the man
ufactures of wool. The Senator from
Utah is woolen manufacturer. and has
made a special study Of the schedule.
His amendment divides wool into three
classes-In the first class he includes
merino wool. clothing woods. and such a.
have been imported from the Argentine
Republic. New Zealand. Egypt. Australia.
South Africa, Russia. and other like
woods Of pure English blood. In class .
he includes camers hair. goat hair, Al
paca, and the woods Of like animals- The
duties provided are on secured wool Of
the first class Is cents a pound, ana IN
the grease Is cents. On the second class
the duty shall be "A cents secured and u
cents In the grease On class the duty
shall be Z cents q pound IN the natural
state and II cents II secured. A provfso
is added for this class of wool which
allows drawback equal to > per cent
Of the duty paid on % much sof the im-
portation as issued in the manufacture Of
carpets. mats. rugs. and like articles.