The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-05-01
WILL CUT DEEP
INTO FARMERS
PROPOSED DEMOCRATIC TARIFF
WILL HIT PockET.Book.
NOT FULFILLMENT OF PLEDGE
Congressman Good, OF the Fifth Con
sressional District, Says its Pas
sage Cannot be Attended by
Results Claimed for II.

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Washington, d. c., April 2S.--When
the proposed democratic tariff takes
the duty off the products of the Amer
lean farms 1t will cut deep into the
pocket.book of the farmer and single
him out for greatest slaughter, is the
substance of a statement made today
by Representative James W. Good, OF
the Fifth Iowa district, in an author
lied interview on the tariff situation.
that the Underwood bill Is not full
fillment of the democratic party's
pledges to the people. The interview
Is as follows:
The indications are that the DEM
ocratic tariff bill, will be acted upon
without any prolonged discussion In
the house. | believe that this is in
esponse to sentiment prevalent
throughout the country that the DEM
ocratic party, having the presidency
and also the control of both branches
OF congress will enact their tariff re-
form program into law. Realizing
this the public apparently demands
that the action shall be speedy and
the results submitted to the tests of
actual experience without delay.
THE Underwood bill is not fulfill
ment of the promises which the DEM
Iocratic party made to the people.
Its passage cannot be attended by the
results which its sponsors claim for
/ It, On the contrary, the results OF the
proposed law, will unquestionably
work a reaction against the demo-
ocratic party. The public will never
approve of the manner in which the
present tariff bill has been made. For
more than three weeks the democrat
r. members of the house have been
p0iding secret caucuses for the pur-
pCse of agreeing upon the various
items of the bill. The Underwood bill
nss come out of the caucus with
scarcely a change. This Is not sur
prising when 1t is recalled that the
committee on Ways and Means, which
offers the bin also has the power to
appoint all the standing committees
of the house. This committee has re-
fused to appoint these committees I'M
til after the vote has been taken on
the Tariff bill. The price of house
committee assignment, therefore, is a
vote for the Underwood bill.
"In contrast with this the republi-
, cans have been holding open caucuses
and have decided upon a definite pol
icy. The caucus declared UNANIMOUSLY,
that the motion to recommit the I'm
derwood bill to be made by Mr.. Payne
shall include provision for perman-
ent non-partisan tariff commission.
! 1t also decided that the motion to re-
commit shall contain paragraphs pro-
viding for revision of the cotton and
wooden schedules in accordance with
the report of the Tariff board. There
schedules have been selected because
they are the only two schedules upon
which the Tariff Board made a report.
Now will the proposed tariff effect
Iowa? This is a difficult question to
answer. / an receiving great many
Iprotests against the unscientific and
unfair provisions of the Agricultural
schedules of the Underwood bill. The
proposition to place meats on the free
/ list. with duty on cattle, and break
! fast foods on the zee list. with duty
on oats Is not fooling the farmers.
! This is undoubtedly the intention
of the farmers of the law, but our
farmers realize the situation as will
be seen from the following letter,
which is sample of many / have re-
Iceived from farmers of the district.
April 10, 1913.
Dear Sir:-Will you use your
! influence to put raw oats and the
finished and manufactured pro-
duct on an equal basis in the new
| tariff bill? The mills of our terri
tory buy nearly all the oats pay
| ing cent premium over Chicago.
| | think the new proposed provis-
ion would drive our mills into
Canada thus hurting the farmer. Z.
as well II the farmer needs pro-
lection. give it to him but don't
drive out the mills in doing ii, as
| we need them both"
"Unquestionably there never was a
better time to try the experiment OF
| free meats, or even free cattle, than
at the present time, If We are to try
| it at ALL for with a shortage of over
Is, 100000 cattle in six years, it will
easily be seen that the reduction will
not so vitality effect the farmers it
would If the production was normal
That it will injuriously effect him,
however, have not the remotest
doubt.
ut is interesting to note that while
the democratic party before election,
made great capital out of the sale of
American cattle abroad, claiming that
they were sold cheaper in the Euro
pean markets than in American mark
cts, the secretary of commerce is now
publishing the official figures. showing
that they are entirely in error in their
prediction statements. The report
of Secretary Redfield substantiates
the packers claim that American
meats are sold cheaper in America
than they are in London, in conpeti-
ton with meats from Argentine. This
report shows that American cattle
sold in London at twelve cents per
pound while grass feed cattle from
Argentine and Australia sold at four
and one-half to Ave cents per pound.
The low price commanded by Argen-
tine and Australia meats in England
together with the shortage In our own
production accounts for the fact that
our export market has practically
disappeared This same report adj
vises us that Mexico and Canada
paid duty on 100000 head of cattle
sent across the border. Just what re-
suit win attend this free meat pro
paganda proposed by the democratic
tariff bill is problematical.
You ask. how does the reduction
In the Underwood bill on farm pro-
duce compare with the cuts In the