Evening star., 1922-07-06
SENATE PROMISED
TARIFF EXPOSURE
Smoot in Deal With Cuba on
Sugar Schedule, Says
Harrison.


bill. Senator Harrison. democrat, Mis-
sissppi. told the Senate today. demo-
Gratis had planned when the sugar sched-
ule was deached ito expose the deal at
tempted to be put ovr," by Snator Smoot
of Utah, ranking republican on the A.
nance committee, whereby Cuba would
have restricted it's sugar production in
return for lower tariff duties on that
commodity. He argued that this was
one of the reasons why the republicans
wanted to cut off discussion on the
tariff.
Senator Harrison charged that Sena-
tor Smoot had written letter to Maj.
Gen. Enoch H. Crowder. representative
of the American government in Cuba,
with a view to "strangiing Cuba into a
contract to restrict its sugar crop to
100000 tons and in return was to re-
ceive a tariff not so high as that pro-
posed
"InsuAlcient Time.'
I'VE wouldn't have the time. under
the cloture rule, to read the letter to
Gen. Crowder and the contract that
was attempted to be put into effect"
declared Senator Harrison.
The Mississippi senator read from
addresses of various republican Sena-
tors delivered in 1918 and opposing q
cloture proposed at that time by the
democrats. and which would have linn
ited general debate to one and one
half hours to each senator and dis
cussion of each amendmetn to twenty
minutes for each senator Among
others he quoted from a speech by
the then Senator Harding, in which
Mr.. Harding declared that the free
dom of debate in the United States
Senate is one of the highest guaran-
UT hoU NJ ApYnn i'm
tions."
Qaotes From Republicans.
Senator Harrison also quotes from
speeches by Chairman McCumber Of
the. finance committee. who offered
the, cloture petition yesterday. and
Senators Smoot, Kellogg of Mime
sofa, Hale Of Maine. Lodge Of Massa-
chusetts and Watson of Indiana.
The speaker declared Senator Lodge
ju pitsu" in supporting cloture now.
he Is keeping up his stride Of
changing his opinion on all questions
that come before the Senate" declared
Mr.. Harrison.
Coming to Senator watson's 1918
speech. Senator Harrison said the In
diana member was an adroit poll
tician." who knew the tariff bill will
not stand the attacks from this side
and from others there (the republican
side)."
He wants to forestall debate" con-
tinued Senator Harrison, so the peo-
pie won't know the infamous charac-
ter of this bill"
Cl0ture Debate Heated.
The motion for cloture, signed by
hfty-two republican senator's. was
presented to the Senate late yester-
day and Immediately precipitated a
heated discussion, the democrats at
tacking the proposal and the repub-
ltcans defending it.
Although a number of senators are
absent from Washington. which
would cut down the number necessary
for two-thirds majority. some Of
those behind the cloture movement
doubted that II would succeed. Sena-
tor Lodge Of Massachusetts. the re-
If II did not. 1t then would be for the
republicans to decide whether they
would lay aside the tariff and fight
for a majority cloture rule, or force
the Senate to resume night sessions
as a means Of speeding up a hnal
vote on the tariff.
All except eight OF the sixty repub-
licans in the Senate signed the petit
ton. Those eight were: La Toilette.
Norris. johnson. Moses, Borah. Bran
degee. Crow and Weller. Immediately
the petition was presented by Chair
man McCumber of the finance COM
mittee it brought a protest from Sen
ator Underwood OF Alabama, the
leader. who said the
democrats had "courteously" consent
ed to the committees request that IT'S
amendments be considered first and
that it was not fair for the majority
to come in now and propose to take
away from the minority their right to
propose amendments.
Assails Gag Rule.
The democratic leader said that
every item in the bill was of interest
to some business concern of the coun-
try; that practically all Of them were
the majority should propose some
rule which would meet the situation
and not merely q gag rule.
The idea of discussing 1000 amend
ments in sixty minutes" he ex-
claimed Gentlemen on the other
side had better suggest that we have
no further debate"
Senator Robinson, democrat, Ar
in a vigorous speech. raised
the issue of good faith in the pres
entation Of the petition.
Every senator knows" he said,
that tho motion just submitted can.
not prevail. II the proponents of
they would not dare submit it."
After some sharp controversies. but
by overwhelming majorities. the Sem
approved yesterday tariff duties
on a number Of California products.
including a rate Of Is cents a pound
on shelled almonds, which was the
subject Of a somewhat heated ex-
change between Senators Johnson. re-
publican, California, and Lenroot, re-
publican, Wisconsin.
LenroOt Demands Reductions.
Opposing the committee rate as
but announcing his will
ingness to support the House duty
of IL cents, Senator Lenroot gave no.
tice that he would vote against the
tariff bill unless some of these high
rates be brought down to somewhere
within reason"
other duties approved by the Sem
ate included: Figs. dried or in brine.
3 cents a pound; prepared or preserv-
ed, 40 per cent ad valorem.
Raisins. 2h cents pound; cur
rants, Zante or other. 2 cents a pound.
Lines, in natural state or in brine.
and oranges, 1 cent a pound; grape
fruit, one.half Of one cent q pound.
Walnuts Of all kinds, unshelled, 4
cents pound; shelled, IL cents a
pound.
Dates, fresh or dried, one cent a
pound; prepared or preserved, 40 per
cent ad valorem.