The New York herald., 1922-05-17
FORDNEY-M'CUMBE TARIFF
DEVELOPING INSURGENCY

maintain essential industries created
as result of the war and considered
vital 10 the future industrial independ-
ence of the American people,"
Republican critics OF the bill, whose
number is increasing in the Senate
assert that the economic and labor
situation does not require such sup
port or encouragement. They declare
Mr.. McCumber's committee has gone
far beyond this point and justified the
prediction made by former Senator
Beveridge that ''the Republican party
would pass higher tariff bill than the
Payne-Aldrichs measure if it ever re-
turned to power" /.
This prediction was called to the at:
tention of the Senate to-day by Mr.
Harrison, Democrat. of Mississippi
who characterized it as q prophecy
come true" To say that there is a
great deal of restlessness and dissatis-
faction over the tariff bill in the Senate
would be to put it mildly. Many Re-
publican Senator'S privately condemn
the manner in which the bill was pre-
pared and is being handled.
Resentment Is Growing.
1t is not foregone conclusion. by
any means, that the measure will have
such smooth sailing as Mr.. McCumber
predicted two or three days ago. After
a month of continuous debate not one
tenth of its provisions has been con-
sidered. The growing resentment
against it is likely to defer it's passage
81
though the Democrats indicate a, ten
dency to overlook opportunities for
filibustering because of their mani
festly sincere conviction that enact
lment of the measuse will-help their
party and not that which passes it.
Some of the Republican Senators
have urged Chairman McCumber TO
delay action on the tariff bill until
after the Congressional elections.
They contend that it would be good
political strategy to delay final action
on the bill rather than attempt to ex-
plain the merits of an undigested
measure that they believe will need a
lot of explaining.
Senators who have looked into the
matter predict that in its present
shape the Fordney- -McCumber tariff
bill will effectively close the doors OF
foreign countries to American exports
and particularly those in South Amer
lea. The hide schedule, for instance
Is. said by South American diplomats
to have provoked considerable resent
mont among the people of cattle grow
ing countries, such as Argentina and
other southern neighbors in which the
merchants of this country are ambi-
tious to expand their business rela-
tions.
Mercantile Protests Ignored.
Protests from merchants doing both
an export and import business with
other countries did not make any i'm
preston on the Fordney and McCum-
ber committees nor influence the judg-
ment of the lower house. Such poll
cies, however, are coming in for more
attention in the Senate.
On several occasions Chairman Nc
Cumber had declared on the floor o.
the Senate that most Of the opposition
| to the bill framed by Mr.. Fordney anc
amended by himself comes from i'm
porters and the leading newspapers o
the larger cities. In one debate Mr.
McCumber asserted that the news
papers in some of the larger towns ha,
been influenced to criticize his tariff
bill by importers and department
storekeepers upon whom he said they
are dependent for advertising ant
other forms of support.
This charge has been answered by
Democratic Senators who read extracts
from Republican newspapers in variou.
parts of the country.
Senator Simmons IN. c., Dem.). joint
author of the Simmons Underwood
tariff bill, has read into the record O.
the tariff debate extracts from Repub.
lican newspapers in large center.
and small towns. Some OF the extract.
that he read to-day described the pend
ing tariff measure as a "botch" made
''by neophytes and amateurs" An
other Republican paper in compare
lively small town declared editoriall,
that the tariffsbill will prove to be {
menace to industry" Several news
papers which ordinarily support Re
publican policies have expressed tn,
belief that the Fordney- -McCumbel
tariff bill should be reconstructed {,
cover more adequately the industria
situation instead of ''reflecting polit
ical ambitions of a reactionary nature.
A substantial minority of Republican
Senators have been privately confer
ring over a new program which the,
may or may not attempt to hav,
adopted. This contenplates the with
drawal of the Fordney- -McCumber bill
or. at least, the sidetracking of IL unit
after the elections. While they admi
chances for such are not encourag
ing. they hope to prevail upon thu
President and leaders of the tive
houses to consent 10 their program.
The chief argument they will adj
vance in support of their position 4:
that no harm will be done TO the bust.
ness of the country by such a move