Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-21
Ohio Senator Oenounces Free
Trade as a Timely Policy for
the United States.
AN AID VALOREM TARIFF
Is ATTACKED IN SPEECH
Resumption Of the Debate in the
Senate on the Underwood
Simmons Bill.

Remuneration or llee Iraue as q llineiy
policy for the United States. predic-
ton of failure In Its purposes for the
Underwood Simmons tariff bill and an
attack on an ad vaIorem tariff system
were voiced by Senator Burton of Ohio
today when tariff discussion was re-
sumed in the Senate.
Senator Burton declared he was no
worshiper of protection as a fetish .
but that he approached the subject of
the tariff rather with the conviction
that whenever there shall be an era
of comfy and mutual concession in
trade among nations. and our country
shall have reached a point when it's
productive capacity has been fully de-
veloped. free trade might be a rational
policy Such, he said. was not the
case. the disposition to restrict trade
among nations and to grant access to
markets only on rendering concessions
In return being ON the increase.
Averrfng that a free-trade policy only
Is applicable on the theory that It uni
versally can be applied. the Ohio SEN
ator declared:
The attempt on the part of a free
practice without the concert of other
nations reveals the serious disadvan-
tage of such a position. Even II the0-
retfcally In the most correct situation.
she Is In Iar the worse pOS1C1On 10 en-.
force her point OF view.
Foreign Cooperation Only Recourse.
'She can have recourse to no other
means Of protecting her interests ex-
cept to persuade the statesmen Of
other countries that they. together
with herself. would be better on under
regime of freedom In commerce:
xvhSI l. tAa Dth hor hor
gain between themselves to her dis
advantage and at the same time profit
by access to her open markets"
Senator Burton further declared that
literally tears to pieces the fiscal pol
Icy Of the nation In order to satisfy
the craving for lowering the cost OF
living and to justify the declaration
Of their party platform that the chief
cause Of the high cost Of living was
The existing protective tariff enacted
by the republican party"
'"Thia." said Senator Burton. was
your campaign argument: this was the
promise on which you regard your
selves as delegated to tear TO pieces
the fiscal policy which has been the
sheet anchor Of nearly two decades of
unprecedented prosperity and which Is
the only guaranty OF Its continuance.
''You have erected a tariff policy. blind
to every consideration except the con-
sumner.
Sole Justification Of Bill.
"The bill was frankly not framed to
encourage capital to enter new fields OF
. industry or to extend those. already es-
tablished; Il was not devised for the pur-
pose OF inviting our farmers TO reclaim
new acres for cultivaton; 1t ID certainly
not calculated 20 enlarge the opportunities
for labor to find profitable employment:
L kf<rv~ To-. AnA not nf
living. IL 1t fails In this 1t fails utterly.
The belief OF many persons Is delusion.
the senator said. that protective tarin Is
responsible for the high cost Of living.
Denouncing the ad valOrum system
adopted in the bill as q substitute for
specific duties. Senator Burton declared
that il was Objectionable because 1t means
q heavier burden upon the consumer dur
ing periods when prices are highest. and
q smaller burden when prices are low:
that IL affords temptation for undervalu2-
ton and fraud. and that II works to the
disadvantage Of the American naanufactur-
ar. who must buy raw material abroad.
Burton Quotes Redasld.
That the pending bill could not possibly
fulnu IT. mission Senator Burton de-
clared rs now admitted by some Of its
original sponsorA" naming Secretary
Redtield In this connection.
mi. Redasld." he said. who was Sc
lscted for his responsible position In the
Presidents cabinet because he was re-
| garded by the President AZ an expert on
/ tariff matters was evidently smoothing
| the way for the descent Of democratic
hopes when he gave out a signed inter
view from which / quote. After men,
/ tioning several Of the causes OF the nigh
| cost OF living. the Secretary says:
| 81 mention tiese things to show that
| the tariff Is no cure-au. 1t is a step to-
Y ID rfyxu nhuto oh Av,S
| the freer exchange OF products Of the
| farm. tho mill and the mlne; but no In
| telligent man expects II to be moro than
| . step. What. then, is the primo. pal ben
| EFT arising from the tariff buzz To my
| thinking 1t Is a moral and q mental ben
eft.