New-York tribune., 1913-07-15
DECLARES DEMOCRATS
ENEMIES OF FARMERS
Senator MCCumber DenOunCeS
the Tariff Bill as Meant to
Harm Agriculture.
DEBATE GOES OVER A DAY
Substitute for Wool Schedule,
offered by Mr.. Smoot, Has
Lowest Rates Ever Pro
posed by Republicans.
fFrom nc Tribune Bureau.l

WASHINGTON, July H.--The spectacle oil
the American farmer being offered as
sacrifice on the altar of Democratic tarlI
revision was presented in the Senate to-
day by Senator McCumber, who sounded
the prelude for the general debate Whlch
is to begin next Thursday
Tor more than two months saiu
Scr ator McCumber, behind careiuhy
guarded doors and shaded windows the
Democratic members of the Finance COM
nutee have been Matching tarlH meas
are. They have tenderly shielded IL nom
the too chilling blasts of cold reason ana
from the too dazzling light of informa-
tiou.
Finally. this unnatural incubated thihe
has been brought forth. 1t mas been eN-
hiLited to the majority side Of the senate
That majority has viewed it for some
time curiously rather than critically mas
been unable TO say what it is, and by
unanimous vote has determined to take
no chance with its conscience in attempt
ing to find out.
1t seems TO have been concelNed III
animosity against every American INDUS
try that really needed protecpon-'he
many small concerns Of the country the
only competitors of the great concerns
that need no legislative favors-While II
hears the birthmark of i'll will against
nearly all But the special object Oh lls
cholcr and hate is the American FARMER,
II is especially endowed with tooth an"
ta!on for bis injury and destruction.
You admit that your bill will injure
him. and you say you intend to do So
the Senator continued, turning to the
Democrats. You say he is receiving TOO
much for his products and you intend 10
conpel him TO sell them cheaper. BY no
system of logic can any of you escape
that charge IT, as some of you declare
the present tariff protection does not en-
hance the value Of the farmers productS'
then YOU know that taking 1t OF VIII not
diminish the price of farm products'
and vou know that your claim tnat you
are going to benefit the consumer Is
false and demagogic in the extreme
The Democratic party. Senator McCum-
Der added. was very anxious TO give 'ne
stonecutter bricklayer and other iaDoreIs
an eieht-hour day. while the farmer was
obliged to work sixteen hours 10 make
decent living.
senator Smoot also paved the way for
an attack on the Democratic bill by ol-
-ering as an amendment a substitute Ior
schedule X. the wool schedule. He viii
address the Senate on the subject later
The Smoot substitute proposes rates
based directly on the report OF the tarin
board. adopting in each grade The lowest
rate. The schedule is lower than tnat
introduced last year by Senator Penrose
as a substitute for the Underwood wool
hill and is the lowest wool schedule ever
introduced by a Republican Senator.
The Democratic tariff proSramm"
sjipped another notch to-day. Debate
was TO have been opened on Wednesday
but Senator simmons. finding that II
would be impossible to have the report
Of the majority members OF the Finance
Committee ready by that time. gave
notice that he would not call up the bill
intn Thursday. The Senate was willing
to adjourn until that time. but decided to
convene tomorrow 10 consider without
DELAY amendments to the Newlands arh-
,ration bill, if IL should be necessary 10
Go so
President Wilson to-day expressed sur
prise that the Senate Finance Committee
had increased duties in the tariff bill on
works OF art and books. lie believes
those articles are more of educational
the President would consult Senators on