The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-07
DEMOCRATS
DEN0UNCE
TARIFF BILL
Call It Conspiracy to Bene
fit Few at Expense Of
Cali Humanity.

Washington, July 7-COnsid-
Grafton OF the general tarin Dill
was formally begun today Dy
the house 18th the actual read
ing of the 346 page document
No discussion marked the open
ing of what is expected to be
the heaviest task of the sea-
son.
Reading clerks estimated it
would take all day to read the
bill oil which general debate is
to last a full week.
Washington, July democratic
members of the ways and means
committee, in a minority report
filed today in the house of repre-
sentativ-s denounced the admins
tration tariff bill as conspiracy to
benefit a few favorites at the ex-
pense of all humanity"
Like every conspiracy it has
been Matched in secrecy" the report
says, adding:
We record our solemn judgment
that this measure is plan to plum
der the people of our own country
and to oppress the people of every
country for the benefit of few men
who have succeeded in ursurping
for all practical purposes the tax
| ing power of this government, US
| ing it primarily to enrich them
| selves, and, secondarily, to finance
the political party which tolerates
encourages and facilitates the usur-
patton"
The report delares the tariff was
not an issue in the last campaign
and that this is not the time tC
write a tariff law. They assert that
the problems which confront ouI
people, cripple our Industry, stifie
our commerce and perplex an ami
able administration, have nothing
10 do with the tariff
Rap Republican Majority.
Criticizing the Republican major
h, ity of the committee for withhold
ing the bill from them and from
the house membership generally
and permitting only a few week!
for its study, the Democratic mem
| bers declare there has been insuf
ficient time TO draft a substitute
They do Lot understand any de
tailed discussion of the individual
schedules in the bill, confining thei1
27 page typewriter report to thu
whole measure and the manner o
its preparation.
Emphasis is laid upon two things
the probable effect of the bill ol
American commerce, and the worlt
industrial situation, generally, an
on the substitution of the system o
American valuation as a basis TO
lowering tariff duties.
Pointing to the rapidly decreas
ing American foreign trade the re
port says:
"Need No Tariff"
1--WE need no tariff to cut OF tn
imports and the exports of tn
United States
Calling attention to the fact tina
the foreign trade of the Unite
States has fallen from $1,15S ,255, IA
last July, to $527, ,37S,S25 in May
1921, the report says:
Certainly the natural process
preferable to the infected knife c
interested surgeons, who by select
| ing the industries to protect an
those to destroy, can reap the hal
vest their campaign contribution
seeded last fall Verify, the o
men are entitled to their rewar
an dthe lumber men, the wool mel
r and all the others who cast thel
bread on the waters of Republ
can tide.
I'm the face of the uncsrtafnt
which this bill necessarily compel
as to its duties it will be 1mposs
= BILE for any importer to continue
5 business and the result of this prt
I vision will be the destruction Oh tn
import trade of the United States
Call Measure "ViciOus.'
= Asserting that il is proposed {
: the bill to declare a savage con
: mercial war on the whole numa
n family" the Democratic mlnorl'
n says it is doubtful if that IN u
history of political affairs, a mea
ure so irredeemably and universe
!. ly vicious has ever been suDmitt'
to the law making power OF CT
L ilized society