The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-07-07
HOUSE BEGINS
ITS WORK ON
new TARIFF
Reading of Lengthy Docu-
ment is Formal Beginning
Democrats File Scathlng
Minority Report.
DEBATE TO LAST week
tRy Associated Press>


WASHINGTON. July 7.-Considera-
ton of the general tariff bill was
formally begun today by the house
with the actual reading of the 346-
page document.
No discussion marked the opening
of what is expected to be the heaviest
task of the session. Rea ding clerks
estimated it would take all day TO
read the bill. on which general de-
bate is to last a full week.
Republican leaders changed their
plan to ask for a special rule today
covering the time of debate and other
details of procedure, postponing the
request until tomorrow. Chairman
Campbell. of the rules committee, said
the special rule would embrace the
agreements reached at the party con-
ference last night.
Representative Garrett, of Tennes-
see, active Democratic leader. an
nounced that conference of house
Democrats would be held Immediately
after the house adjourned today TO de-
termine a party plan to fight the bill.
File Minority Report
Democratic members Of the ways
and means committee in a minority re-
port filed today in the house Of repre-
sentatives denounce the administra-
tion tariff bill as a conspiracy to ben
eft a few favorites at the expense OF
all humanity"
Like every conspiracy it has been
Matched in secrecy" the report says,
adding:
I'VE record our solemn judgment
that this measure is a plan to plunder
the people of our own country and to
oppress the people of every country
for the benefit of few men who have
succeeded in usurping for all practical
purposes, the taxing power of this
government, using it primarily to en-
rich themselves, and, secondarily, to
finance the political party which toll
! crates, encourages and facilitates the
| usurpation."
| Scathine Attack
The report declares the tariff was
not an issue in the last campaign and
that this is not the time to write a
| tariff law They assert that the prob
| lens which confront our people,
cripple our industry, stifle our com
/
| istration have nothing to do with the
! tariff"
Emphasis i5 laid upon two things:
! the probable effect of the bill on
American commerce and the world in
| dustrial situation generally, and upon
| the substitution of the system of
| American valuation as basis for
levying tariff duties.
= L., l.;
bill to declare q savage commercial
war upon the whole human family"
the Democratic minority says it is
doubtful IF in the history of political
affairs measure so irredeemably and
universally vicious has ever been sub
mitted to the law-making power of 4
civilized society"
Claim Boycott.
Its adoption" the report goes on
to say, will be establishment by the
United States of an economic boycott
against the civilized world. The coun-
tries that fought with US in the late
war will be victims of its savagery in
exactly the same degree as those who
fought against US, while at the same
time it will oppress grievously our
own people, who would indeed be its
chief victims, were it not that nations
reduced 10 extremity of distress
through the most destructive war ever
waged will suffer still more severely
from its operation because all efforts
to restore their industrial life to nor.
NAL conditions will be grievously i'm
peded, if not wholly frustrated" by the
drastic restrictions on trade which il
inspires"
Charging that the bill was prepared
outside the ways and means commit
tee, the minority report says the man
ner of its making up cannot be de
| nj