The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-06-28
RICE TARIFF DUE TO GO UP
is EIGNUS' BELIEF
Thinks Import Revenue May Sup
plant Excess and Luxury
Taxes.
Beaumont Enterprise:

legislation will originate.
In summing up reasons for a
statement of this kind Mr.. Eignus
referred to the higher tariffs of
former republican congresses.
The congress which will fix a new
rice tariff will be republican. 1t
seems that excess and luxury
taxes are unpopular and the ways
and means committee is expected
to turn to import duties for more
revenue. Furthermore, the I'M
portance of the rice industry to
both growers and millers will
cause the administration to treat
a higher tariff legislation sympa-
thetically,
In the coastal belt much land
has been reclaimed for rice grow
ing which can not be diverted to
other crops. Imported rice which
will enter into competition with
American rice is mostly grown by
| The naked labor" of the world
That is. the industry is carried OF
in a primitive way by peoples OF
the tropics, who have not bene.
fitted by the advance of labor
prices in other sections of the
world In recent years.
Concerning the trip Mr.. EignuS
said: "The purpose of my triI
was not to do any lobbying in the
interest of a high tariff but tc
acquaint myself with the prob
able action of congress and the
policy of the ways and means
committee. | was assured by MIR
Fordney, chairman of the com
mittee, that there would be nc
hearing before that committee or
matters that have to do with this
bill until September, at which
thine they will take up these mat
tiers in alphabetical sequence
Rice, under the schedule falls I'M
der section G. Therefore, in my
opinion, there will be no hearing
on rice before next November OF
December. do not think tha
any new tariff legislation will ge
1.-THE attention of the whole house
until after the converting of TIT
regular session of congress in De
cember. When the bill goe!
Through the congressional ma
chinery it will be referred to thu
president. What his action vii
be it is impossible to estimate a
present. 1t may be a year befor'
lit can be passed and referred t
him."
Referring to tariff rates of tn
past, Mr.. Eignus said:
Under the past three tariff
bills of republican congresses, tn
mckinley, Dingley and Payne-Al
Idrich, the schedule was:
"Clean rice, 2 cents per pound
Rough rice, IA cents pc
pound.
"The Mills bill, which was tn
first low tariff bill by the demo
Gratis, called for these duties:
Clean rice ~ cents per poun
Rough rice, "a cent per pouno
Under the present Underwoo
bill the duties are:
Clean rice | cent per pound.
Rough rice, SO cent per poun
In my opinion the bill to b
proposed will give the tariff a
upward trend. 1t is the belief {
the republicans in congress thu
the excess and luxury taxes al
unpopular and that more revt
lnues should be collected throug
custom houses. While it is th
general belief that there shout
! not be a heavy duty on food stu
sIit is the belief that the rice indus
Iry will be treated with sympath,
] Rice is a big industry. Muc
Z money has been invested in tt
growing and milling end of IL
business. Much acreage in tt
I coastal belt has been drained al
i lreclaimed because it will gro
rice, and it is of little value othe
wise. Then again, | believe it wi
8 Ibe treated sympathetically b
1 cause the foreign rice, coming
4 lcompetion with American ric
sIis grown by the naked labor
! 1.-THE world.
! This is the only body OF lab
& not better paid than it was in T
{ cent years and labor prices a
d lStill on a pre-war basis. In t
3 EIndian province, Burma, whe
a Utmost Of the rice is grown, the e
I tire family works in the fields +
8 ia few cents day and these poe
lily paid peoples, demanding lit
q more than bare necessities of Ii
s cultivate small tracts as they ha
: done for many years in the pa
& Furthermore, the very heavy "a
QIfnlI IN His section eliminates :