The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-10
OLD STRAW LID IS DEMOCRAT WEAPON IN TARIFF ATTACK
Used to Illustrate Contention Rates Higher Than Any thing Written Into the
 Payne-Aldrich Bill
R, A,.eci.t.a Pres,

by Asnocleted fress
 Washington, July s.-An old straw hat was the article used by demo- crats in opening their attack In the House today on the Fordney protec' tive tariff bin to Illustrate their con tention that it's rates were higher than aything written in the Payne Aidrich bill a decade ago.
 Representative Garner of TexAz' ranking democrat on the ways ana means committee in the course of two-hour derunciation of the meas ure, seized tho hat as the first ob- ject within sight and challenged re- publican members of the committee to say offhnnd what duty had been imposed upon it.
 There was . moments hesitation Then in the midst of shout from the minority. Representative Green, republican, Iowa, arose from his seat and brought an answering shout from the republican side by announcing that it was printed in the bill. Bi8MtI EEOPOhC0
 Still waving the faded headg ear, Mr. Garner declared that in the Payne Aidrich Dill the duty on that product was 50 per cent, but in the Fordney measure 1t was s1o dog en, plus an ad valorem duty of 20 per cent, which made the actual inn port tax, he ndded,sl 2-5 per cent Comparison of the two bills he said. would show the same scales running through tho s4s pages of the Ford ney measure. The average rate yof the Fordnoy measure. he added, was higher than ever proposed by Con gross. t
 Attacking the American valuation provision MT, Garner charged tha. | If 1t had been applied to the present Underwood law. rates now being paid would exceed the Payne scheduled in every instance.
 | There were many sharp exchanges while MT. Garner had the floor. Most of the verbal battles ragged around the valuation provision and MT. Garner declared. that the most glar- ing 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 letter received from rnanufacturcr at Grand Rapids. Mich, Mr, Garner charged that because of the peculiar condi- tons entering into foreign produc- ton tho raed furniture rate figured exactly 14.s7 per cent higher than the Underwood tariff, which stipu- lated Q duty of 15 per cent against the Fordney's 50 per cent.
 e, Debate Starts With Hnsb
 With the principal speeches for and against the bill out of the way, the debate was turned over to members generally. and 1t started with rush under an agreement ealing for solid week of tnlks
 The name of Secretary Mellon was brought into the discussion by Repre- sentative Oidhsld of Arkansas A democrat member of the ways and mea n s-committee. who described the treasury secretary as one Of the oene- ficiaries of the high tariff He saih that The Melons of Pittsburg" con 1 troi the aluminium industry Of the United States and called attention to the increase in duty to cents pound on. aluminium.
 l sOf cOurAe, ne bal0, Y an IVY blaming Secretary Mellon He did not write this bill. had nothing to do with it, but his group paid IF per scent dvidend on $2o, 100000 capital last year, and I want to know why lit is necessary to give them more I Csnsuaer BeisE Taxed
 Representative Green sought to ex- plain that the 5 cent duty means 1 nothing" to the consnmer He illus ltrated his statement with the cost of the old Kitchen stew pan. saving that less than half g pound of aiu- I minum was used in it's manufacture l but MT Oldfield asserted that whether Il the amount was great or small tne consumer was being taxed for tho benefit of the manufactures. Repre- sentative Mondell republican Hoor 4 leader. spoke briefly near the ciose of the day. paying tribute to tne I republican members of the ways anu means committee for the work they had done in drafting the Dill, Tie az ! clared, that, notwithstandins tne ' many handicaps under which the nil' I was framed. this bill has met wltu q q more favorable response from tns 4 country than any like measure pre. sented in a generation, and addec that this approval wili' an ny opinion, grow, rather than di' I mfnfsh, as the provisions are sA' | lux ad 1 %