The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-03-11
FARMERS ASK HELP;
SUGAR MEN GET II
Emergency Tariff Bill In Its Final
Shape Adds to Profits of Inter-
ests That Have Already Exploited
People Numerically.

The emergency tariff bill, which
was heralded as a measure to re-
lieve the distress of the farmers,
was finally put through the Senate
last week by vote of AZ to 80
but it was so loaded down with
amendments that its own father
that congenial old reactionary from
Michigan, "Joe" Fordney, would
find difficulty in recognizing it.
Instead of being a measure for
the relief of the farmers, it became
a bill to increase the profits of the
Sugar Trust by about $50,0O0OOO a
year and the Packing Trust by a
sum estimated all the way from
$500, 100000 to $500,0O0,0OO a year.
Four Republican Senators, from
the industrial states of New Jersey,
Rhode Island, and New Hampshire
refused to support it because they
believed it would materially increase
the cost of foodstuffs Nine Dem
cratic Senators supported it. Two
represented the sugar interests of
Louisiana and most Of the others
came from the wool-producing states
of the West.
When the bill got back to the
House it encountered unexpected
opposition. Congressman Treadway.
of Massachusetts, a member of the
Ways and Means Committee, which
drafted the measure, frankly con-
fessed that when he supported the
bill in the House he had no idea it
would ever become law.
eve are now assured" said he,
that President Wilson will veto it,
but | do not want to take a chance.
If this bill passes it will increase
the price of flour $3.50 a barrel.
and | am assured on good authority
it will close every wooden mill in
New England"
Some of Treadways Republican
colleagues from agricultural states
roasted him numerically and de-
clared that while he favored a high
protective tariff for the manufac-
turers he was seeking to deny the
| blessings of protection" to the
| farmers.
The upshot of it all was that the
bill was finally sent to conference
by safe majority.
1t is a question if the Republican
leaders will be able to force the bill
through Congress before the adj
journment on March 4. If they do
President Wilson will veto it and
of course, it will be impossible to
pass the bill over his veto.
SO from whatever point of view
it may be considered the time ex-
pended on the bill has been wasted
1t has been the football of party
politics from the moment it was
| presented to the House. The Re-
publicans have endeavored to con-
vince the farmers that a tariff
would prove a panacea for all their
ills and the Democrats have re-
taliated by pointing out that in
creases in the tariff on sugar and
on frozen meats would not benefit
either the farmers or the stock
growers, but would add tremendous
sums to the dividends of the sugar
refineries and the beef packers.
Senator McCumber of North Da-
kota has led the fight for the bill
in the Senate. He is a candidate
for reelection and must face his
constituents in 1922. He is a re-
dictionary of the IRENE type and
stands little or no chance of win
ming out against the Nonpartisan
League unless he can make the
farmers of North Dakota believe
that if they can get a tariff on
wheat they will no longer be robbed
by the Elevator Trust, the Flour
Trust, the Farm Implement Trust,
and banking combine.
Mote - But President Wilson
vetoed that thieving tariff hilll