The New York herald., 1921-07-10
DEMOCRATS RALLY
ABOUT A STRAW HAT
Faded Headgear Used as
Text of Gamers At
tack on Tariff Bill.
RAPS VALUATION PLAN
Texan Charges Consumer
VIII Feel Skyward Trend
of Prices.
GREEN MAKES REPLY
Insists Measure Has Already
Met Favorable Public
Response.
RAPS VALUATION PLAN
MAKES REPLY
GREEN

WASHINGTON, July 9.--An old straw
hat was the article used by Democrats
in opening their attack in the House
to-day on the Fordney protective tariff
bill to illustrate their contention that
It's rates were higher than anything
written into the Payne-Aldrich bill a
decade ago.
Representative Garner (Tex.), rank
ing Democrat on the Ways and Means
Committee, in the course Of two
hour denunciation Of the measure
seized the hat as the first object within
sight and challenged Republican mem.
bers of the committee to say offhand
what duty had been imposed upon it.
Attacks Valuation Provision.
| There was a moments hesitation.
Then. In the midst of a shout from the
minority side. Representative Green,
Republican Qowa), arose from his seat
and brought an answering shout from
the Republican side by announcing that
| it was printed in the bill.
| Still waving the faded headgear. Mr.
, Garner declared that in the Payne-Al-
| drich bill the duty on that product was
| so per cent, but In the Fordney meas
ure 1t was $40 dozen plus an ad val
orem duty of 20 per cent, which made
the actual import tax. he added, 81 2-5
| per cent. Comparison of the two bills.
he said. would show the same scales
| running through 346 pages of the Ford
ney measure. The average rate of the
Fordney measure. he added, was higher
than any ever proposed before by Con-
gress.
Attacking the American valuation
provision. Mr.. Garner charged that II 1t
had been applied to the present Under
wood law rates now being paid would
exceed the Payne schedules in every
instance.
There were many sharp exchanges
| while Mr.. Garner had the floor. Most
| of the battles ragged around the valu-
alton provision, and Mr.. Garner de-
clared that the most glaring evidence
of how it would shoot rates skyward
was to be found in the case of reed
furniture, much of which is shipped
here from Japan.
| In quoting from a letter received
| from a manufacturer at Grand Rapids
Mr.. Garner charged that because of
! the peculiar conditions entering into
foreign production the reed furniture
rate figured exactly 14.V per cent.
higher than the Underwood tariff.
which stipulated duty of is per cent,
against the Fordney's so per cent.
Debate Starts with Rush.
| With the principal speeches for and
against the bill out of the way the de-
| bate was turned over to members gen.
! orally and It started with a rush under
an agreement calling for solid week
Of talk
The name OF Secretary Mellon was
brought into the discussion by Repre-
sentative Oldfield (Ark.). a Democratic
member Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. who described the Treasury Sec
| retary as one of the "beneficiaries" of
the high tariff He said that the Mel
Ions of Pittsburgh" control the alumi-
mum industry of the United States and
| called attention TO the increase in duty
to five cents a pound on aluminium.
"Of course" he added 1T am not
blaming Secretary Mellon. He did not
write this bill. had nothing to do with
1t, but his group paid u per cent divi-
dend on twenty millions Of capital last
year and I want to know why IL is
necessary to give them more"
Representative Green sought to ex-
plain that the five cent duty means
nothing to the consumer. He illus
trated his statement with the cost of
! the old kitchen stewpan, saying that less
than half pound Of aluminium was used
in its manufacture. but Mr.. Oldfield as
| serted that whether the amount was
great or small &e consumer was being
taxed for the benefit of the manufac-
| turer.
| Forecasts Public Approval.
| Representative Mondell. the Republi-
can floor leader. spoke briefly near the
close OF the day. paying tribute to the
| Republican members OF the Ways and
Means Committee for the work they had
! done In drafting the bill. He declared
that notwithstanding the many handi-
caps under which the bill was framed
This bill has met with a more favorable
response from the country than any like
measure presented In a generation" and
added that this approval will, In my
opinion, grow rather than diminish as
the provisions are examined and
analysed"
! Representative Oldfield challenged the
Republicans to show where benefit had
been derived by the farmers from pass
age OF the emergency tariff law He said
Il had not created n stronger market for
anything grown on the farm, but had
aided in keeping up the already high
living costs.
You are experts at helping the rich, +"
he continued. addressing himself 10 the
Republicans. you always see that they !
get something without earning t. But
J wonder what the laboring man Is GO |
| ing 20 say when he sees the vast profits |
reaped by his employers through the
tariff with his living costs mounting and |
| his pay envelope shrinking"