The Washington herald., 1913-07-22
BITTER ATTACK MADE
AGAINST TARIFF BILL
Senators Burtea Il Ollie and Snset Il
Utah Bslabse Usdsswss&
Sinnsos Measure.
PREDICT MANY EVILS As RESULT

The Underwood Simmons tariff bin wa
again the object of attack In the Senate
yesterday. Senators Burton OF Ohio and
Smoot Of Utah spoke in opposition to II.
Senator Burton's speech was directed
mainly at the free trade tendencies OF
the bill. while Senator Smoot went into
q careful analysis Of the measure. and
attacked many rates, particularly those
under the wool schedule. Senator Bur-
ton occupied Q little over an hour. sena-
tor Smoot spoke for three hours. and
then asked permission to suspend his
remarks for the day. with the privilege
Of resuming his speech tomorrow.
The significant suggestion was made
by Senator Simmons. the Democratic
leader. that there would probably be only
two or three set speeches on the Demo-
members will speak Oh the tariff bill
Several of them win make set speeches.
Senator Burton. who opened the debate.
declared that the Democratic party had
been deluded In assuming that 1t could
reduce the high cost Of living BY re-
ducing tariff duties.
They boasted that they could and
would Immediately reduce the cost OF
living by lowering the tarin law, said
Senator Burton. They said that the
exhorbitant prices Of the Necessities OF
IIo IN particular WOuiu iIliucoAtcsy seoS
away and the poor mans table would
hereafter be furnished at Q fraction Of
its former cost
Unless q material reduction Of prices
Immediately follows the enactment OF
this bill. 1t will record one OF the most
ill-boding policies ever adopted by re-
sponsible party IN . representative gov
eminent. Its sole justification In re-
duced cost Of living. II It fails In this
1t fails utterly.
This phenomenon Of high prices ID
worldwide. In our own country the
most notable increases have been in COM
modities Of which We have considerable
surplus for export. The increase has
been manifested without regard to the
higher or lower rates in the last tariff
act, and has been most considerable In
the case Of articles on which there are
no duties At all"
The Senator opposed al valorem duties
as substitute for specific duties. He
declared that an ad valorem duty meant
- heavier burden upon the consumers
during periods when prices are highest
and he Is least able to bear II"
Senator Smoot. who followed Senator
Burton. dwelt upon the enormous in
crease In importations under the exist
ing law. He declared that imports had
increased approximately $lop.Vp,UJ IN
single year, and that since the passage
Of the Payne-Aldrich law there had been
an increase of a little over $50, 0O0.ooo
And yet, with that enormous increase
In imports. this bill makes sweeping r.
auctions in duties. and transfers to the
free list a billion dollars and more prod
ucts." said the Senator. 1T In amazing
that any political party in the face Of
those statistics can propose such a revo-
lutionary measure as this tariff bill"
The Senator declared that the industries
of Porto Rico and Hawaii would suffer
because, under our labor laws, which are
applica BILE to these dependencies. they
cannot compete with Java, Borneo. or
Cuba in the production OF sugar.
This bill I regard as the most in
furious tariff measure ever taken up for
by Congress- said Senator
Smoot.
"A New York financial journal states
that there has been three billion shrink
age in the value OF securities in five
months, or q per cent Of the active capt.
talization." said Senator smoot- Beet
sugar stocks in Michigan have declined
10 to so points"
The Senator from Utah characterized
the free list In the Underwcod-Simmons
bill as sectional and monstrous.'