The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-07-08
TARIFF LAGS
BECAUSE OF
UNCERTAINTY
Present Debate Lacks Dra-
matte Tenseness of Former
Years-Solons Are Unde-
cided as to Needs.
MAY DROP FOR TAXES
BY MARK SULLIVAN


WASHINGTON, D. c.. July S.-The
present tariff debate does not have
the atmosphere of former ones. 1t
lags, and there is little interest in it.
1t has the air of unreality. There
is no such formal lining up of forces
and no such dramatic tenseness of
contest as were associated with prev
ious tariff debates.
For all this there are several
reasons. Congressman Fordney, of
Michigan, who is the chairman of the
ways and means committee, and who
in that capacity has formal leadership
of the debate in favor of the bill, has
no such authority over the members Of
his party as Payne had when the
Payne bill was passed, or Underwood
had when the bill was passed that
bore his name
Rebellion against Congressman
Fordney on the part of members OF
his own party is more easy than
against any previous leader of a tariff
fight. Not only is there rebellion on
the part of Republican congressman
who are frankly insurgent, but there
is lack off submission to discipline on
the part of many stand-pat Repub-
licans of the type who in former tariff
fights regarded it as their first duty
to stand compactly with their leader.
SoIons Uncertain.
Even those strong and able Repub-
licans who believe America has more
need for protection in the chaotic fu-
ture than ever before, are by no means
certain that the present bill fulflls
all that is needed.
The changes wrought by the war in
the currents of international trade are
rot yet wholly clear, and it is not
possible yet to see either from what
countries our most formidable competi-
tion will come or in what commodities
ii will be.
More fundamentally, America has
not yet made its decision as to wheth.
er or not it wants to continue to be a
great creditor nation. Many of the
leaders are uncertain whether it is
best for America to be a great i'm
porting nation or a great exporting
nation.
-sArouses Indifference
Out of all these doubts arises a
state of mind which breeds indiffer-
ence to the present tariff debate in
the house. The feeling is that the bill
will not become law for six or eight
months anyhow, that it will be mate
rally changed in the senate and that
in the meantime enough progress may
have been made in our new interna-
Lot In ~,
ly what we need in the way of a tariff
So marked is this lack of strong con-
viction with regard to the tariff that
II would not be surprising if the tariff
bill were allowed to lag and taxation
measures put ahead of it.
IL is much more easy to be certain
of what we need in the way of taxa.
ton. Congress knows from Secretary
Mellon what we need in the way OF
revenue. But congress has not shown
the courageous leadership necessary
TO make progress with this necessar
lily unpopular subject.
Courageous Leadership
The most courageous act of leader
ship that has appeared in Washing
ton did not develop in congress, but
came from the administration. Sec
retary Mellon announced that the
passage OF the soldier bonus bill
would put a greater burden on the
treasury than it can well bear, anG
when President Harding counseleG
against passage at this time.
In this act President Harding anG
the members of his administration
have shown willingness to accep'
responsibility for what is unpopular
but inevitable.
The unwillingness on the part o.
congress to do the same thing &C
counts for the procrastination abou
taxation. The contrast between Re
publican leadership in the White
House and Republican leadership il
congress is vivid.
Copyright, 1921, by the New Yorl
Evening Post, Inc, New York Eve
ming Post Syndicate.)