Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-02
\ New Presidential BURDEN

\Y/iiEN Congress abdicatcd its exclusive
w right TO lay and collect taxes. duties.
imports and excuses Ito pay the debts and
provid" for the common defense ana general
welfare of the United States" comforting
portion OF that authority upon the prcsi-
dent it was tantamount to admission not
only of its incapacity to deal with the sub
icct intellgently. but OF political cowardicc
as well In Incorporating provision in
tn" new 'arif law. dcl"gating 10 the PrcSi-
cent tn" power to lower or raise rates OF
duty on imports within prescribed limits
of 80 per cent. il pursued the same coward
~ course that actuated il in passing the
buck to the President OH the bonus pro
pOsal. Fortunately the President fully un-
dorstoOd the inSincerity OF the motives in
which this measure found support and had
the admirable courage to head OFF this in
cNcuSablc raid upon the public treasury as
"a votc-geiting device.
But when the trade DESTROYING tariff
measure. with its flexible tariff provision.
designed for political trading. was present
ed for his approval. his solicituGc for the
public interest was lacking in the courage
necessary to head of this hich-handcd
method OF placing American consumers al
in" mercy OF the greedy pr0htecrs for whom
monopoly domestic market has been ere
at"d. Bitter experience has taught the
sound system OF tariff taxation can never
he accomplished long as the question
Is Subordinatcd to the line OF treatment
which the oXiEencics OF party politics for a
raliyinE issue on which TO confuse the cleo
toratc is adhered to. The flexible provision
III the new law opens any number OF avenues
for political trading. and the politicians and
the special interests are making plans to
gct the greatest possible advantage out Of
Already Republican Senators and Repre-
Scntativei are bcSieEing the White House
demanding favOrs for constituents through
a lowering of rates Of duty on certain i'm
ports. to influence favorably the coming
elections in their behalf They plead that
the new rates already have begun to affect
business and politics. and if the President
does MOI use the authority delegated to him
&c give relief. their candidates. will suffer
disaster at the polls. 1t is this power of
the President to change the rates of duty
from time to time on which the Republi-
cans rely to meet criticism in the political
campaign from now until The election in No
N'mbcr. Their spcllhndcrs will say, when
q specific tariff schedule is attacked. that
the rates in the Fordncy -McCumbcr bill are
rot final. but subject 10 revision at any time
On the other hand, il il forcsccn that do
lhestic manufacturers. who will hide their
time until the elections are over If dissatis-
lied with the profits they are getting under
the new rates, will later bring pressure 10
bear upon their Senators and Representa-
'ives TO use their influence to have the Pres
ident raise these rates
Thus. the President viii be brought be-
tween two fires, and he is reported already
to have scnscd the harassment to which he
Will be subjected. Under existing custom
the President cannot very we'll refuse the
request Of congressman who are members
OF his own party for interviews Hence. in
addition TO his already numerous duties. he
will have to stand for the now burden Of lis
t"ning 10 the tedious discussion OF tariff com
pl"Nitins. The buck has been passed TO
him and he will have TO stand the goad