The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-09-08
T. Arthur Edwards Spoke Here Tuesday Night
He Strongly Favors Two-Cent Tariff on Rice

foreign rice, from japan and other
countries, produced by cheap laborers,
and after deducting tie cost of pro-
duction, etc., should the present one
cent tariff rate prevail it means the
wreck and ruin of this important in
dustry, the loss of millions of dol
lars to farmers, laborers and legiti-
mate investors. In fact, the entire
populace, every branch of business,
will suffer serious loss.
In view of the powerful influences
in the eastern states, largely manufac-
turing centers, we of this section can
not expect any returns or benefits in
the reduction of the tariff on manu-
featured articles to which locality the
rice farmers as we'll as the remainder
of the. citizenship of this district must
look for many necessaries of life. Con-
sequently, to maintain the present
tariff rate, or reduce it, would be an
unjust discrimination against this par
ticular industry and against this par
ticular section of the United States
of America, contrary to Article /, Sec
tion 8, of the Federal Constitution,
reading:
"The Congress shall have power to
lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts
and excuses, to pay the debts and pro-
vide for the common defense and gen.
eral welfare of the United States; but
all duties imposts and excuses shall
be uniform throughout the United
States"
The platform of the national DEM
ocratic party declares for tariff for
revenue only. In my opinion this
embraces a wide latitude and should
not only apply to the method of obtain
ing sufficient revenues to operate the
government, but applies equally to the
necessity that exists land which we
| should all guard against) in prevent
ing the sitting of an industry by i'm
posing an inadequate tariff rate, un.
equal, unjust and discriminating
against rice, upon which such vast
majority of the citizenship, not only
of this district, but of the state of
Louisiana, is largely dependent.
Therefore, congress even in provid-
ing a tariff for revenue only clearly
discriminating against the rice indus
try OF Louisiana when it imposes an
inadequate tariff rate, and at the same
time leaves the schedule on other ar
ticles protected by much higher per-
centage. To illustrate: sewing ma
chine, recognized throughout the civ
ilized world as a household necessity.
under ordinary conditions, can be pur-
chased outside of the United States
for less than we must pay within the
states-thesame largely applies to
steel rails and kindred products farm
ing machinery, to shoes, wooden and
cotton clothing and other articles of
wearing apparel, of commerce, etc.
From personal experiences in Wash
ington, D. c., where | listened to dis
cuSsions of this important subject
first hand from information | have
CLEANED from many friends and asso-
ciates among the rice farmers and rice
men, | was convinced years ago that
any tariff on rice less than two cents
would ultimately prove ruinous to the
rice industry of Louisiana. And with
out attempting to unjustly criticise
our present congressman l do not
hesitate to say that it appears to me
that by the exercise of due diligence,
the display of energy, and the proper
presentation of this subject, there s
not only no reason why the old rate
of two cents should not have been
maintained, but it could and should be
restored. On this basis rice raising
can at least be carried on without a
sacrifice.
If our democratic ex-congressman
could accomplish what he did accom-
plish for the rice industry, in spite Of
he republican majority odds and OPP
position which he necessarily had to
contend with, why is it the present in
cumbent could not do equally as much,
lnder democratic House majority,
md at least hold what we already
had!