Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-12
BULLAED DISAPPOINTED OVER
 SENATE ACTION oN TARIFF

Stanley If. buliard. president of the Connscticut Chamber of Commerce. ex- | prSsseu sur,li-e and disappointment | ruesday al Hartford at the newspaper l | reports from Washington that the senate | finance committee has disagreed with | the house and reported unfavorably on i the American valuation feature of the tariff bill. He says that the foreign valuation plan amounts to practical free trade with Germany and makes her the most favored nation. The Connecticut
 plan, framed by the state chamber of commerce. is, in his judgment. fair
 compromise. He pays a compliment to
 the fair -mindedness of the. Connecticut
 merchants on this subject.
 T am surprised and disappointed. :"
 said he. T have not read the bill. but
 l see that it is claimed that the rates on Connecticut products are equivalent to | those appearing in the Fordney bill, This may be true on the average, but 1t is a manifest impossibility as applied to Ger
 many which is the chief competitor of
 some of our leading factories. Our | chamber has taken a referendum of the :, leaders of Connecticut business, and the
 result was 349 in favor of American val ] uation, on either the Fordney plan or the Connecticut plan, and only fifteen in fa-
 voT of retaining foreign valuation. With l the German mark quoted at three and a l half-tenths of a cent any workable tariff based upon foreign valuation would amount to practical free trade with Ger many.
 There may be those who feel that the war is over and we should not discrini-
 nate against Germany. I don't care to
 discuss that. but I fall to see why our
 congress should pass an act making Ger
 many the most favored nation.
 'T notice that MT. Fordney says he
 will not surrender the principle involved,
 if congress remains in session until the
 snow flies. More power to his hand!" Mr. Bullard was asked about the so-
 called Connecticut plan. This said he,
 twas devised by a special committee representing the consuming public. John H. Goss of Waterbury representing the manufacturing interests. and Isidore Wise of Hartford representing the mer- cantile interests. It is a working formu- la preserving the principle of American
 valuation as set out in the Fordney bill and the fexibility plan recommended by the president. Under the Connecticut . plan, the rates would be fixed and levied upon an American valuation. but the president would be given power, acting : probably through the tariff commission to vary the rates in case of hardship either to the manufacturers. the import CTS, or the consumers. The president might also be given power under certain circumstances to change the plan of val : uation. It has the advantage of fiexi' , bility, without starting with an abject 5 surrender to the German manufactures and his partner. the American importer
 MT. Bullard was asked if there was not
 some opposition to American valuation ron the part of mercnants- There is." h' . replied, "but the Connecticut merchants have shown a handsome spirit. Whil' p they disagreed with the American valu ation plan in certain aspects. they gen
 orally took tre view that a large part O their profits came from the employees an'
 stockholders of Connecticut factories , They recognize that they are In an in ' dustrial state, and they can only prospe
 in the long run when our factories pros
 per. They have manifested fine spiri , of give and take"
 MT. Bullard stated that he did no ? know what action would be taken unde puresent conditions. "Our membership.
 he stated, ''has issued a mandate to u
 by an overwhelming majority. I shal . have to consult with my associates ol . this matter. Possibly. there may be al early meeting of the board of directors.