Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-03-24
HARDING CABINET
IN LONG SESSION
Believed That President and Ad-
visers Want Farmers Tariff.
ALARMED OVER SITUATION
Chief Executive and His Official Fam.
lily Hold Long Conference-Discus-
sion Is Conducted by Secretary
of Agriculture Wallace.

Washington, March 19.-American
agriculture is facing it's gravest danger
from the flood of foreign importations
pouring in practically free of duty.
fThis was the unanimous opinion OF
president Harding and his cabinet,
Following their longest conference
since the new administration took Of
flee.
The meeting of the President and
his official family LASTED more than
two hours, most Of the discussions re-
Eating directly to proposed means for
preventing what was declared to be
the impending agricultural crisis.
Unless all indications fail, the Pres
ident, in his first message to congress,
will insist that legislation to relieve
the situation be given precedence
over all other business.
Would Avoid War Powers.
The President stated that he was
'"loath to resort" to war powers con-
terred upon him by the trading with
the enemy act, which would enable
him to place an embargo on agricul-
tural imports. This law has not been
repealed. Rather, he will look to con-
gress for the early enactment of emer-
Sency tariff legislation which will save
the situation by placing heavy duties
on agricultural products.
With Secretary of Agricultural Wal
lace leading the discussions, the cab
met went exhaustively into the situa-
ton, which discloses that:
1. Millions of tons of wool and 9th
er products are being poured into the
country practically free of duty.
2. Foreign exporters are piling up
huge stocks of their goods in ware
houses here, taking advantage of
favorable exchange rates.
The President declared that this
situation, dangerous in itself. assumed
tremendous" proportions when it was
found that it actually threatened the
agricultural self-sufticiency" Of the
country. American farmers and live
stock raisers, unable to combat the
influx of foreign importations, are
abandoning or cutting down their in
,terests. This was found to result di-
rectly in a great reduction of Ameri-
can agricultural productivity.
There clearly must be some i'm
mediate relief of the agricultural sit
uation, or we shall lose our fiocks and
our herds" was the way in which one
cabinet member described the danger.
Members of the cabinet, in their
discussion with the President, found
that agricultural products and live
stock from Europe and South America
could be laid down on the Atlantic
seaboard at prices cheaper than are
charged by farmers in the Middle
West. Despite this fact, the ultimate
consumer was reaping little or no
benefit in the form of reduced prices.
Transportation Charges High.
The element of high transportation
charges figured largely in the cabinet
discussion, it was learned. Importa-
tons of frozen beef and mutton COM
ing all the way from Australia and
New Zealand are being sold here in
large quantities at much less cost
than western producers can supply,
after transportation charges have
been added.
Many sections of the country have
been practically denuded of herds Of
sheep and cattle because of this con-
dition, it was found. 1t was the unan-
imous opinion of the President and
No hot hn frct w
was the placing of heavy duties on
agricultural and live stock imports
pending the enactment by congress of
"A permanent protective tariff.
President Harding expressed regret
that the emergency tariff legislation
passed at the last session, but vetoed
by President Wilson, was not in eff
feet at this time 1t is strongly in
Dictated the President will insist that
similar legislation will occupy the full
attention of the new congress, even
10 the extent of holding up tax and
revenue revision.
Mr.. Harding refused to approve the
legislative program agreed upon by
the Republican members of the SEN
ate finance committee and house ways
and means committee early this week.
because it did not provide for emer-
'gency tariff legislation to protect the
farmers
The senators and representatives
were opposed to an emergency tariff
bill, except an anti-dumping measure
with an amendment to the existing
tariff law providing for the collection
of ad valorem custom duties on the
basis of American valuation, rather
than on the foreign valuation.