Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-07-07
DEMOCRATS SCORE
new TARIFF BILL
SHARPLY CONFLICTING VIEWS As
TO TAX BURDENS EXPRESSED
BY BOTH FACTIONS
CONTROVERSY IS PENDING
Statement VIII Be Issued Showing In
Detail Some of Essential Provi-
sions OF The Tariff Bill

ashington.-Sharply conflicting
views as to the tax burden to be inn
posed on the American people by the
administrations tariff bill were recent
~ expressed by Republican and Demo
cratic leaders of the house.
Counting the free list, the average
duty rate was estimated by Chairman
Fordney OF the ways and means COM
mittee at between Is and 20 per cent,
compared with the 1855 Payne-Aldrich
average and per cent under the pres
ent Underwood measure. Mr.. Ford
ney insisted. however, that the aver
age. after an accurate estimate, would
range lower than Payne-Aldrich sched-
ules
Taking issue with the chairman,
Representative Garner of Texas, rank
ing Democrat on the committee, declar-
ed the rates, considering the Amer
lean valuation provisions, were higher
than those in any tariff bill passed by
congress since the Civil war. Quoting
statements of Republicans that the bill,
if passed as written, would bring in
about 100000, 900 annually, Mr.. Gar
ner charged this meant an additional
cost of at least two billion dollars and
that the larger portion of this burden
would fall upon the actual necessi-
ties of life"
Mr.. Fordney had announced that he
would issue a statement showing in
detail some of the essential provisions
of the bill, and clearing up many points
of difference, but rush of work he
later said made it impossible.
The upshot of all tariff talk veri-
fled predictions made before the bill
was introduced-that the question of
whether the new rates, taken as a
whole, were higher or lower than the
Payne-Aldrich duties, would be the |
subject of unending and everlasting |
controversy and discussion.
IN the absence of the expected state
ment from Chairman Fordney, mem |
bers generally found the 346-page bill !
almost bewildering. There was resent
ment against some of the schedules by |
Republicans, but, broadly speaking, |
members stood on the bill according
to party affiliations. There was howl
from some Democrats over the free
list which they insisted had been too
Sharply reduced.
Before going into the preliminary Re-
publican caucus many representatives
said it would take two or three ses-
sions to adjust all differences. Mr..
Fordney's plan to have the bill report
ed after a meeting of the full commit
tee was changed and the meeting was
called for a later date.
Scores of members questioned about
the bill said they had not had the time
to digest it, many contending that only
a tariff expert could correctly figure
the percentages.
The American valuation provision is
o stumbling block in the way of enlight-
enment, especially as the bill was ;
thrown into the house hopper without
explanation.
In view of the demand from men, {
hers for information, Chairman Ford !
ney gave out word during the day that {
the opening caucus would not be able I
to reach real contested ground. |
1t seemed to be agreed that the
American valuation section would eff
feet between so and 60 per cent of
all imports, which have no standard
value In fixing the duty on chair, =
FOR example, the committee wrote into :
the bill a provision that it should be
assessed upon the value in the Amer !
lean market of a comparable and COM v
petitive article. In word, a chair 6
shipped here from Germany and cost 4,
ing 50 there, would be assessed at the
port of entry at SIS, if the latter figure u
we're judged TO be the fair price in v
his country Under existing law the
.uty is based upon the foreign value G