Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-10
Attacking Il Flexible Tariff

Attacking II Flexible Tariff
n EMOCRATlC SENATOR'S Monday CEN
II tered their attack on the flexible tariff
plan Of the pending measure. Under this
provision of the bill the President is given
authority 10 alter rates as circumstances and
conditions seem TO warrant Heretofore the
principle has never been applied further
than III the authorization of maximum and
minimum rates. the President being en-
powered to apply the maximum to all goods
coming from country which Disseminated
against the United States by unfair trade
regulations. The present bill abandons the
maximum and minimum idea. which was Il
feature of the Payne-AdriCh law but did
not reappear in the Underwood tariff which
displaced IL. and returns 10 this principle
in empowering the President to impose
additional duties on the whole or any part
OF the imports into the United States from
any country which disCriminatcs against
our overseas commerce" 1t even goes TO
the extent OF empowering him to impose
penalty duties or prohibit the importation
OF particular goods for the purpose OF pre-
venting unfair methods OF competition''-
presumably aimed at dumping This
power is revolutionary in the extent OF tho
authority It derogates from Congress and
confers on the President.
told the Senate that the Constitution spe-
cially reserved 10 Congress the power TO Law
and collect taxes and import duties and that
Congress could not delegate this authority
He also attacked the flexible plan on the
ground that no provision was made for Judi
ciai review OF the President action in
changing rates and classiticatons and con-
tended that the rule laid down under which
the President was 10 act to "euualize condi-
lions OF competition in trade" was 50 inden-
mite that the President could take into
consideration many elements aside from pro
uUction costs. Senator Underwood not only
upheld the unconstitutionality of the plan
but commended that il was wrong in principle
and would lead TO the Oppression OF the
American people" and in the end to the ruin
OF the business and prosperity OF the coun-
try He further pointed out that since there
was no way OF equalizing conditions OF com
petition except through equalizing prices.
the result of such plan would he to make
the consumers of the Cotfntry pay the price
OF industrial monopoly"
Aside from this feature OF the measure
the minority report of the Democratic
members OF the Finance Committee
In the carefully considered ANALYSIS of the
entire bill which il has presented. shows
that the unmistakablc purpose of the meas
uTe Is not 10 protect American manufacture
ors against foreign competition. but TO per-
init these manufacturers TO maintain their
present highprice levels and in MANY cases
to raise them. Supporters OF the bill make
Il pretense that high protective rates are
required TO maintain American wages and
standards OF living Statistics OF our de-
Ginning import trade show that these stan
dards would In nowise be endangered bv less
protection. The claim that the costs OF
production al home and abroad were used
as barometer for the fixing OF the tariff
rates is bald deception On this poin, The
minority report says at is a matter of
prices, neither in this country nor abroad
are measured by the cost OF production.
confessedly they are exceedingly out of bal
anc" with the cost OF production Pro1,s
constitute far larger element IN these sell
ing prices than all other elements thar NAV
enter into or constitute ? part OF the cost
o: production. Indeed Sometimes and Of
ten. these profits exceed by several times
The cost OF production including labor and
everything else"
Democratic Senators Will render real
public service by consuming all the time
mat is necessary 10 expose every detail of
III" !niqu!,Ous measure Its effect II ennct-
ee into law manitcstly viii b., to impose q
harden Of from $4,000. 900, 600 10 $4,000
100000 upon American consumers. not for
the b"ned, OF the public treasury. bu, as .,
contribution 10 the instatiate greed ami
ayarice Of mopopolstic and prodtecring in
teF"s'S, who dictated tho writing OF the bin