Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-17
TARIFF PROSPECTS
ARE NOW BRIGHTER
Defeat Of Dye Embargo and
Cotton Schedules Wins Favor
for Elastic Clause
SEE RATES RAISED LATER
By CLINTON W. GILBERT
Stan Corrcspondcnt Evening Prbiic Ledger

STAN Core sDOndcnt Evening Ftbic behkfV
Copyright, 1922. by Public L'd0er Company
Washtn. .ton. July 1T.-Thc defeat OF
The dive embargo, the cotton schedules
and similar incidents are improving tie
prosppcts of the adoption Of the elastic
clause of the tariff bill and thus exp'-
diiiny the massage of tho bill ilSef.
While tho hill has lost good many
friends through the failure of Senators
Interested IN these defeated schedules.
the inclination to put responsibility
for duties ~ the hands of the President
Is increased.
For example. Senators with dye fac
tories in their States now SEQ no hove
Of obtaining from Congress prohibi-
tive rates to project this now tndu,-,
try. But the castle clause Of the bill
works both ways. The President under
Il can increase as well as decrease
duties 30 per cont
If the bill with rho elastic clause IL
adopted. pressure from the business in
terests seeking high protection will be
directed at tho White House and II can
be applied after election. That j. -
say. with Congress frightened over Ia"
effect Of high duties IN the coming eIeC-
tion. the best hone Of interests seeking
them is through presidential action
nfter olo, tiOn.
Elastic Clause Grows IN faNor
This consideration accounts in some
measure for the growing support "f the
elastic clause. Without thar clause TIC
bill Is sure 70 hn defeated. In the first
place there j. the fear uf rUlltiral con-
sequences from passing the till aS. =
stands Just on the eve of election ana in
the second place thorp Is the disSutlS-
faction Of eastern Senators with high
duties unless they obtain the high dH-
ties which they themselves seek on cot
ton and dyes.
Tho Democrats in opposing tho eIas-
tic clause reason inst n the seekers for
high duties on dyes and cotton do.
They SEQ that the giving of authniU%
TO the President 10 rails" aS well a.
lower duties Is Just rs likely 10 mean Il
general increase Of tariff rates as It Is
e. mean lower rates.
II i said on good authority that not
Democratic Senator will vote either
for the elastic clause or for Senator
FrelinghuNSen n m " n Il N On for
strengthening tho tariff commission.
It j. here that IN" real light over
the tariff hill viii take place" Ava
once n majority Of Republican Senators :
can be llnci MP for tho elastic clause.
the rros0tcrs for taIiff legislation viii
be greatly improved
This claus" provides tho way for Com
gress to wash its hands Of the whole
tari responsibility and pass il on 70 the
Executive. Senators do not wish. nm
less they have dye interests in their
States. to face the voters after having
put m embargo on foreign dyes. BY
voting down the dye embargo and pu' =
ting up to III" President what the duty
on dyes should be they can escape re-
sponsibrty.
Postpone the Evil Day
Moreover. the determination Of duties
can by this device he postponed till
after III" election and n plea can be
made that NJ least non -pOlitiral sci
entifc tariff system has been installed.
The Democrats reason that no system
Is stronger than th" man charged viii
its application. and they say that Pres
ident Harding is not strong enough 1,
withstand III" pressure for duties higher
than those named in the bin which /,
sure n be- brought :" bear upon him
from the greater interests which S""t
benefits in the schedules
Generally speaking. interests whirl
have obtained the high rates they have
been seeking in the bin are "pp">e,
TO the elastic clause FOR fenr thar under
II the President may r"dur" rates Fol
this reason members Of 'he agricultUra
bloc hav" been against tho lnctlc clause
But the farm sentiment FOR high tArif
Is weakening because Of the onhanr",
prices which farmers will have ~ ua,
for their clothes and machinery Fo
this reason there l. m increasing snut.
ment among the agricultural seutim"n
for the elastic system.
Their" - nor a majority Of senator
for the elastic clause. :ut there i
steadily increasing support for H. o.