Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-02-24
SENATE AND HOUSE
ROW OVER TARIFF
FoRpNEY WARNS UPPER HOUSE
MEMBERS HE WILL FIGHT;
MAY BLOCK BILL
Members OF House ami Senate Unable
to Agree on Valuation Policy In
Rewriting so-caIled Per-
manent Tariff Bill

washington.-A row between the
house and senate over American valu-
alton was forecast Saturday after 1t
became known that Republican mem
bers of the senate finance committee.
in rewriting the so-called permanent
tariff bill. had agreed tentatively on
continuing the present principle Of
basing duties on foreign market value.
Chairman Fordney. of the house
ways and means committee. declared
that IL this kind of tariff must be
passed by the senate the house would
write new bill with reduction valu-
alton clause and 'let the senate try
again" If this should happen, It was
said, there would be little prospect OF
a tariff bill at this session unless con-
gress remained on the job throughout
most of the congressional election
campaign.
Declaring that the house ways and
means committee had written bill on
the American valuation plan only af.
ter full agreement with all of the Re-
publican members of the senate COM
mittee except Senator la Toilette of
Wisconsin. Representative Fordney
said the abandonment Of this principle
by the senate committee majority was
"a thing the gentlemen of the ways
| and means committee would not have
done without consulting the finance
committee"
.t"If they send bill over here based
on foreign valuation" he added. they
max. expect that 1t win be sent to the
ways and means committee, which
will send back 10 the senate bill al
soSbase1 on American valuation.
twill never agree to any foreign
valuation and l do not know OF any
Republican member of the house who
will. or who wants foreign valuation"
The valuation as framed In the
house bill. was abandoned. some time
ago by majority members of the SEN
ate committee, who had been consider.
ing two plans, based largely on the
recommendation OF President Harding
in his annual message to congress
last December The executive then
said regarding American valuation
that there could not be ignored "the
danger of such valuation" making
American tariffs prohibitlve. In the
light of the presidents position IL was
suggested that IL the house and the
senate disagreed on the valuation
question the matter might be referred
to the executive in an effort to bring
about an agreement before such an
impasse as that suggested by Mr..
Fordney would be brought about.
The senate committee majority be.
gan Saturday the rewriting of the ad
valorem rates In the Fordney tai on
the basis of foreign valuation. Sen.
ators said that many of the rates we're
being scaled upwards since the orig,
inal figures were predicted upon an
assessment of duties on the basis of
the value of articles produced in this
country. comparable to those import
ed.
The valuation plan as Tentatively
agreed upon, known AZ the Smoot
meet unusual conditions now existins
in world trade. These provisions In
clude proclaimed American valuation
flexible rates within radius OF fifty
per cent of the figures fixed In tn,
hill and a deprecated currency pro
vision. There also are sections de
signed to prevent unfair competition
Ia importation and Discrimination
against American foreign commerce.
II was said Saturday that fina
vote on the Smoot plan was being dc
layed pending further information
from the state department as Il
whether the deprecated currency pro
visions would be in violation of tn
favored nation" clauses of existin
comercial treaties. There is SOM
score and this provision may have t
be modified.
Under the other valuation plan while
the committee members have bee
considering for some weeks, dutie
would have been based upon tn
wholesale selling price in the Amer
can markets OF the imported articles
This plan also contemplated the bo
steering provisions in the Smoo
amendments. II was urged by men
bers of the tariff commission and til
court of customs appeals, but was OF
posed by officials of the customs div
sion of the treasury, who held out 70
| tha Smnot nIan