New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-23
Wadsworth Joins Lenroot
in Opposing High Rates
Fixed by the Committee;
Canvass Shows CIosePoll
Duties Vary From
26 to l37 p. C..
Walsh, of Massachusetts,,
Sees Loss to Consumers
ofs2O0, 600, 900 Yearly

r,on, The Tribune's Washington Bureou
WASHINGTON, July 22.-The battle
over the wool tariff, carried in sched-
uIe K of the tariff bill, was begun in
the Senate to-day. A hard fight is in
prospect over this schedule. II was
the struggle over the wool schedule in
1869, wherein the late Senator j. P.
DoIl;ver led the historic fight against
the Aldrich rates, that had far reach
ing political consequences. The wool
schedule has long been referred to as
the key of the arch of protection.
In the present instance the Finance
Committee is seeking to impose higher
rates on raw wool and the manufac-
.urers of wool than ever before. A
powerful effort is on to reduce those
rates. Senator Lenroot is leading the
movement for reduction on the Repub-
ican side and Senator Wadsworth has
Joined him. Indications are that un-
less the Finance Committee makes con-
cessions there will be enough Republi-
can Senator'S to revolt on this schedule
to upset the Finance Committee rates,
though canvass to-day showed the re-
suit would be close and that the out
come was by no means certain.
Walsh Leads Minority Debate
Senator Walsh, of Massachu setts,
! Democrat, led off to-day with a force
full attack on the Finance Committee
rates and particularly on, the rate Of
SO cents per clean pound for use in
in+L Ia SoiH 2uo,,1J
sumers 5000, 100000
Senator Lenroot has calculated that,
taking this 33-cent rate on raw wool,
the duties in the wool schedule range
frem rs to 1877 per cent on wool and
the manufactures of wool. He will Of
fer amendments proposing that none
Of the duties in the wool schedule shall
exceed 50 per cent.
Senator Lenroot is disposed to seek
other reductions, but doubts whether
the votes can be mustered to obtain
them. Hence he will make the main
fight in connection with the schedule
on bis go per cent proposal
Senator Wadsworth, who holds the
duties in the schedule In a number Of
cases are extreme and unwarranted,
will speak for the Lenroot limitation
and vote for it. The possibility exists
tAdt the f1nance committee VIII agree
10 concessions.
When the schedule came up to-day
Ssnators Smoot and Gooding spoke in
bhalf of the Finance Committee rates
Senator King opposed them and in a
speech contended that both in the cotton
and the wool industries of the country
wages are low and working conditions
are bad. Senator lMcCun1ber defended
the wool rates.
Declaring that the duty of 33 cents
a clean pound on wool for use in cloth
ing as proposed by the Senate Finance
Committee is the highest duty ever
levied on raw wool under any tariff law,
Senator Walsh, of Massachusetts,, as
sailed this high rate, and declared that
if enacted into law it would be burden
some and oppressive to the American
people
He pointed out that the Senate FL
rance Committee has sought to. in
crease the raw wool rate more than 33
per cent, and that the effect of the ac-
ton sought by the Finance Committee
would actually be to put an embargo
on wool and shut out imports.
The high duties which have been
levied upon raw wool and the "iniqui-
tous protective duties" on wool manu-
'actures heretofore have resulted, ac-
cording to Senator Walsh, in destroy
ing individual initiative and have re-
suited in the consolidation of the wool
INDUSTRY IN the hands of a few"