The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-08-11
FORDNEY SEES SOUTH
BEHIND TARIFF SHIFTS
SURE MANY DEMOCRATS WILL
BACK BILL TO SAFE
GUARD PROPERTY.
u Next House 10 Republican New Law
Will be Ready July q, 1917.
From the Washington Bureau
of The Detroit Free Press,
404 Mafrnnolitan Bank Rld1


404 Metropolitan Bank Bldg.
Washington. Aug. 4.-(D-The great
est problem now before the United
States is safeguarding the prosperity of
the nation against the period immedi-
ately following the close of the Euro
pean war.
(2)-In the English house of commons
Premier Asquith has frankly acknowl-
edged the dangers of free trade follow
ing the war and has announced that
Great Britaln's policy is to be one of
taking care of the British. This is q
frank adoption of the American protec-
tive system inaugurated and carried out
by Republican congresses in years past.
(3)-The present administration has
failed utterly to take into account the
inevitable conditions which will follow
the wars end They bravely proclaim
that the United States is enjoying ex-
traordinary prosperity and they credit
it to the Democratic tariff law.
(N-But the cold -blooded fact is this
country is importing more goods than
1t ever did before, excluding war sup
plies, is experiencing falling off in
exports.
(5)-In computation recently made
by Chairman Fitzgerald of the appro.
priation committee of the house of rep
reseutatives, it is shown that the gov
ernment's expenses sfor the next year
will be approximately $l,S57 900, 600,
although the federal income, as things
now stand, will be only 81, 100, 600, 900.
To prevent deficit additional revenue
must be raised to the extent of three
quarters of billion dollars.
PROSPERITY NOT SAFEGUARDED.
(6)-In the face of all this ho legisla-
tion has been carried out 10 preserve
the United States in state of prosper
ity-although there looms. close ahead
the time when the world powers will
turn from their military fight for life
to an even fercer commercial fight fer
life.
(O-Indications are that the present
administration will be turned out at the
November election, that Republican
president will be elected, a Republican
house of representa- tives established,
and perhaps Republican senate. With
the house Republican, Congressman
Joseph w. Fordney, of Saginaw, Mich,
will become chairman of the ways and
means committee-inyested with the
duty of originating legislation having
to do with the situation.
(S)-Therefore, Mr.. Fordney's views
become of paramount Importance and
The Free Press has asked him to out
line what legislation will be presented
at the next congress to preserve United
States prosperity, guard against foreign
commercial invasion, safeguard Ameri-
can industry, insure continuity of the
prosperous activities of capital aud
labor and provide adequate federal
revenue for all forms of preparedness
without having to impose CALLING inter-
nal taxes on the people OF the country
Mr.. Fordney's reply shows there will
be- no occasion for resorting to levies
on automobiles, or on gasoline, or on
any other form of American activity;
no occasion for penalizing American
success nor for compelling any national
industry to shoulder the burden of
making up federal deficit.
Five lines Of action are indicated by
Mr.. Fordney, all of which may be
embodied in one bill to be introduced
at special session of congress imme-
diately after the fourth of March next.
The five lines are:
| Q)-Repeal the existing tariff law
which has resulted in unprecedented
increase of imports though entailipg q
tremendous falling of in revenue GO
per cent of imports now come in free Of
duty.)
(2)-Repeal of obnoxious stamp taxes
imposed under guise of war revenue"
to make up for decrease in customs.
l3)-Creation of a tariff commission.
whose duty it shall be to learn the
difference between cost of production
(raw materials and labor) of competi.
tive goods in this country and abroad.
(4)-Enactment of an anti.dumping
law to prevent foreign goods being
dumped in this country at lower prices
than they bring at home.
| (5)-Enactment of tariff law which
will lay on competitive goodssa duty
equal to the difference in cost raw
material and labor Of production at
home and abroad.
COULD BE IN OPERATION EARLY.
The Free Press inquired whether II
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