The New York herald., 1922-08-21

Washington, d. G. Aug. 20.
The managers of the two major
political parties are far apart in ap-
praising the value OF the tariff and
bonus as campaign issues.
The Democrats naturally will try to
make the tariff the paramount issue
of their campaign to cut the Republi-
control of the House of Representa-
tives.
The Republican program has not
sufficiently crystallized to justify a
prediction as TO the amount OF impor-
tance the candidates OF that party will
attach to the tariff measure.
1t is by no means certain that the
E'ordney- -McCumber tariff BILL which
passed the Senate yesterday with
three Republican votes against it, will
emerge from the conference between
the two houses in time to play a con-
spicuous part in determining Congress
sional elections.
The Congressional leaders OF Presi-
opinion on this point. The more rational
Of them who apprehend the effect OF the
damaging popular case made against the
bill would like tc see it remain in con-
tests. The Democratic leaders, vino are
lully justified in asserting partisan ad-
vantage. will. of course, 10 the best they
can to treat the ;ariff a an accom-
plished fact bas!ng their claim on the
passage of it by both houses on the rec
ommendation of President Harding.
Republican REESE ntmcnt.
II viii be contended by Democratic
candidates that regardless Of the treat
ment of the tariff measure by the Joint
conference 1t mast be accepted as the
official expression of the Republican
party in accordance with its pledge to
| pass "a protective tariff measure" The
most extraordinary feature Of the tariff
debate which resulted in the passage OF
two acts based on fundamentals dia-
mctr,cally opposite was the resentment
against 1t displayed by business news
and civic agencies which usually sup
port the protective tariff ventures of
l Tue tNtpulbiCdH purity.
The indifference. If not open antag-
cnism, to The excessively disproportion-
ate rates adopted by both houses un-
mis;akabiy revealed the fact that the
1 Republican party has forfeited the sup
/ pors OF some OF the most influential
4 business interests of the country which
| ordinarily are sympathetic with Repub-
! lican ambitions. The slipshod manner
| in which the Senate edition OF the tariff
bill was prepared disclosed more than
any other development since the advent
| Of the Harding Administration the fact
that no supreme or potential leader
ship had governed or dictated the decl-
sions reached by the Senate.
Many Republican Senator's who voted
| for 1T instanced their complete dfsap-
proval OF smany of the rates which the
Democratic opponents contended would
/ increase the national living bin by at
least $4,000. 100000. One Republican
! Senator, 'who got what he wanted /"
characterized the completed product as
IAN economic bludgeon" Other Repub-
| lican Senator's frankly admitted that the
! Democratic minority. headed by Senator
Simmons and Senator Underwood,
/ planted deliberately in the public mind
| the impression that the malSeshift Ford
! McCumber tariff measure would
| greatly increase the cost of living OF
every class Of people in the country.
Farmer Not Excepted.
They did not except the American
farmer, who Is supposed to be the chief
beneficiary of the prohibtive rates
adopted on all foreign products except
those inadequately supplied in this coun-
| try.
The portrait OF tho American farmer
| as etched in brazen strokes, softened by
| lachrymose touches, was not hattering
| to proud, hardheaded. capable and indc-
pendent agriculturists. Mr.. McCumber.
1 Mr.. Capper and Mr.. Gooding, who posed
as the champions OF the farmer. repre-
sented him TO be anything but proud. re-
sourccful and independent The mpres
sion created by their Characterization or
/ the American farmer was that he was
/ either a snivciing mendicant or gulibls
! yokcl. incapable OF upholding his end on
| an oven break and solely ambitious to be
/ treated as the ward of the nation.
It is matter * legitimate contro-
versy whether and to wnat extent tho
\ average American farmer will benefit
| from the tariff bill as passed by the
House and revised upward by the Senate.
4 A few specially favored important
groups OF agriculturists will achieve sub-
stantal benefits but 1t is doubtful
| whether these will extend to the vast
\ majority OF farmers.
Republican AS well as Democratic op-
| poncnts 60 the mesaure In its present
\ state assert with confidence that tho
amount of protection provided for the
| farmers will be more than offset by the
I increased cost Of manufactured products.
wouIJ Revise Bsu.
There scarcely is any doubt that de-
| termlned effort will be made in confer
1 ence finally TO produce a bill CATER the
1 Mt~.,krrnt ...i,tr, tvfli rpvnai "a great ter