Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-07-26
STEVENSON TALKS TARIFF
Protection of Long Staple Absurd
Bounty to Encourage Potash.


Protection of Long Staple Absurd
Bounty to Encourage Potash.
Congressional Record July 81.
Mr.. Stevenson. The gentleman. (Mr.
Treadway) has offered an amendment
to put compensatory duties on all
goods made of cotton an inch and an
eighth in length. We make a million
bales in this country and import only
1000 bales, and therefore 80 per cent.
Of the goods made from cotton in this
country pays no duty at all. Gap
plause.) The gentleman makes an
other statement that it is only in the
fine goods that long staple is used.
The gentleman forgets that sewing
thread Is made from long staple cotton
aid that all the poorer people have to
use sewing thread. The old lady who
sits around the fireside and patches the
trousers of her husband will have to
pay this duty. Only $4,000 bales Of
Egyptian cotton comes in, and 1,O00,-
600 pays no tariff that goes into this
product.
Mr.. Chindblom. Will the gentleman
yield?
Mr.. Stevenson. Yes.
Mr. Chindblom. Why did some Of
the members on the Democratic side
vote for the tax on long staple cotton
If we are importing so little?
Mr.. Stevenson. The gentleman will
have to ask them. I did not do it.
think probably because they did not
know any better.
Mr.. Herrick. Will the gentleman
yield?
Mr.. Stevenson. I will.
Mr.. Herrick. l would like to have
the gentleman give the house the
benefit Of his knowledge and tell us
why the Arizona farmers now have
100000 bales of long-staple cotton
which they can not sell.
Mr.. Stevenson. I do not believe 1t.
The highest they have ever made In
Arizona and California is 10000 bales
year, and it would take several years
to make 100000 bales. In fact, since
the crop Of Arizona and California
were large enough to be set out separ-
ately in the government reports up to
1920, they have only produced 10000
bales Of long staple cotton, and it was
selling a year ago for $3.50 a pound.
and it is impossible to have 100000
bales on hand, Or the man who did not
sell at sl.50 per pound does not need
tariff protection, but guardian.
There is no truth in the 100000 bales
of Arizona IonG-stanle claim.
No such figure as that is to be found
Somebody has made a mistake or has
been dreaming about figures. You
have already put tax Of s12,5O0,O0o
on the farmers Of the south who make
cotton in the matter Of potash alone,
and you are going to increase by this
amendment the expenses Of all Of the
cotton goods that they buy, because
there will be enough long staple put
into every yard of cloth made to raise
the price to every farmer in the south.
We object to having a little bagatelle
Of less than hundred thousands bales
Of Egyptian cotton used to raise the
cost of living to our people who make
long staple cotton, and who ask for
no protection upon it, who can make
it in competition with Egypt or any
one else. Egypt has had her crop cut
down ore-third this year by the Eng
lsh government, because it was not a
profitable crop. It seems to me that
the amendment Of the gentleman from
Massachusetts (N1r. Treadway) cer-
tainly ought not to prevail, consider
ing that you are going to give 90 per
cent Of protection to something that
does not need it.
Now, I desire to discuss this potash
cotton. We use annually 250,000 tons
of potash-pure potash-and a tax Of
$50 a ton on that is $12,500,000 tax
levied principally on the cotton farm
potash producers Of the west on whose
product the freight rate alone is pro-
hibitive. Confessedly this is to enable
those people to develop their industry
so that the nation will have an inde-
pendent supply. The attorney for
these people says in his brief, page, II,
| that this will fall in the southeastern
states Now, why tax the soutI as:
for the benefit OF all? Let the gov
ernment give this industry Il bounty,
which will be borne by all the people il
! it must be nursed. Do not penalZc
the cotton farmer to build up national
t defense. l bought 12 per cent. German
$ kainit this year at SIS ton. II has
[ u units potash TO the ton. Under this