The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
THE AGRICUL TURAL
SCHEDULE CAUSES
LIVELY DISCUSSION
Treacher0us Betrayal of a
Loyal Constituency, De-
clares Borah-Prog-
ress Slow

Washington, August 13.-Discussion
of the agricultural schedule and the
proposed free listing of wheat in par
ticular. enlivened the tariff discussion
today in the Senate, Senator Gronna of
North Dakota proposing in lieu of free
wheat a duty of cents "A bushel.
Action on the amendment was de-
ferred owing to, prolonged debate, a
fact which again aroused democratic
leaders to a realization of the necessity
for some action to speed up consid
Grafton of the measure, If possible. To
this end a democratic caucus has been
called for tomorrow, when plans for
expedfting the bill will be discussed.
and a proposal will be made for an
agreement that a recess of Congress
be taken until November l. after the
passage of the tariff bill In the SEN
ate and the currency bill in the House.
This, some democrats assert. would In
duce republicans TO cut short discus
sion of the tariff and would also over
come all democratic opposition to the
currency legislation at the special ses
sion.
Climax of Debate
Dehsse on the free listing of wheat
came to a climax late in the day when
Senator Borah of Idaho referring to
the countervailing duty which the dem
ocrats have proposed asserting it was
the same as the Canadian reciprocity
passed by the republicans to the be-
trayal of the farmers of the country.
we have heard great deal of dis
cussion,e said Senator Borah, about
the disposition of the present incum-
bent of the White House to enforce his
tariff ideas upon Congress. | am not
going to discuss that l will only say
that If the republican senator's had
voted their convictions when Canadian
reciprocity passed this body there
would not have been 10 votes for 1t on
this side of the chamber,
THAT was a disaster, a treachous
betrayal of as loyal constituency as
great political party ever had. Now
we have the same principle as reel
procity embodied in this bill. 1t does
not impeach the democratic party of
inconsistency as it impeached US but
believe it will have the same ef-
feet"
Presents Statistics
Reverting to England for an illustra-
tion of what free trade has done for
the farmer, Senator Borah presented
statistics to show that in 1866 there
were 3,126,O00 acres in wheat in Eng
land and only $4,000 acres at the pres
ent time; 1,S77,00 acres in barley in
1865 and $4,000 acres at the present
time. This ratio continuing Senator
Borah asserted would mean the 'ulti-
mate destruction of the British en-
pire."
80 long as the people are crowding &
to the cities and those congested CEN
ters are becoming more deplorable day
by day it is the duty of the American
government not only through this legis-
tion but in every other way to en-
courage the people to enter the agri-
cultural field. i am In favor of paying
a bounty IL necessary, to encourage
the agricultural Industry
Senator Williams declared that he
did not want to see the American gov
>rnment rob the people in order to
enrich the landlords and he believed
and hoped that the result of the free
listing farm products would lower the
price of bread and meat and open the
farmers eyes to the fact that the re-
publican party had been fooling them
about the virtues of protection for
years.
That the democrats are treating the
farmer unfairly was maintained by Sem
ators Gronna, Clapp, Borah, Bristow,
Smoot, Sherman and others who partici-
pated in the prolonged debate on wheat
Senator Williams in charge of the agri-
cultural schedule, and Senator Shively of
| Indiana defended the purpose of the dem
| ocrats to put wheat on the free list.
t.,.f 10, f.t
| ination for the farmer made by the re-
publicans they placed the assertion that
never was there a greater humbug than
| the republican claim of protection of the
farmer.
| '"The American farmer" said Senator
| Shively, ''never has entered a partner
ship with the republican party in this
protection His function has been con-
| fined to that of contributor. The duty
on wheat is humbug. 1t was intended
always as a duty for statistics and never
was intended for the substantiatNe BEN
| eft of the planter
| Senators Smoot and Bristow contra St
| ed the action of the democrats on wheat
| with that of rice which in the pending
| bill is made dutiable at / cent a pound
| and the former suggested that the fact
that rice is a southern product might ac-
count for this.
| Senator Williams replied that the duty
| ON rice had been cut so per cent from
1 the Payne-Aldrich rates and that rice
not being basic article of American food
| was a justifiable revenue producer
Wheat, the democrats argued, was an
article exported from this country
| throughout the world needing absolutely
| no protection and was a staple article of
| food. the price of which should be re-
| duced to the American people If pos
| sible. Senator Gronna asserted that he
| feared Canada, with its surplus of wheat,
would take advantage of the opportunity
to invade, the American market by put
ting whi At on the free list in her tariff,
therelz alling down the bar of the coun-
tervai B duty of 10 cents bushel pro-
posed III the pending measure
| For hours the senators debated the
whole tariff question with wheat the item
| under consideration, the result being that
the entire day with the exception OF a
| few minutes devoted to rice was taken
up on that one item. Democratic lead
ers were visibly disturbed by the failure
to make progress during the session.