Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-30
G. O. p. Senators Weakening

II il were not for the support given the
Fordney McCumbor tariff bill by the
agricultural bloc. it wouldn't stand the
slightest chance of enactment at the present
session Of Congress. The country is be-
ginning to awaken as to what the measure
means and its indignation is being voiced
in a steadily increasing volume of protests
to Senators. Under this persistent fire many
Republican Senators are weakening in their
support OF the measure and are seeking ~
evade responsibility for its further progress
by absenting themselves from sessions of
tho Senate. But the agricultural bloc stands
firm in its support and the chances are
that il will furnish the needed strength
to force vote on its passage. For the sake
OF the protection" secured on products OF
tho farm and ranches. this bloc will put
through the deal by which the total bur-
dens for the public will be enormously in
creased by the concessions made to inter
ests seeking a monopoly of American mar
kets. In their short sight edness. the Sen
ators who constitute this bloc ignore the
outstanding fact that for every dollar OF
protection" they get for their constituents
they empower the interests which dictated
the high rates under other schedules to
exact from them at least four or five dollars
in added costs of everything they have TO
buy
about how to go at tariff revision TO aid
the farmers. In the budget proposals laid
before the House at Ottawa by w. S. Bield-
ing, Minister Of Finance. a sensible plan
of tariff revision in the interest OF Dominion
farmers Is proposed. Substantial reduc-
lions in the duties on imports from the
United States are recommended Duties
on moving machines, binders and reapers,
seed drills and plows are reduced 1-2 per
practically all other agricultural imple-
ments and from 2 1-2 to per cent on
implements and materials used in darying,
numbering and mining.
"Al this says the indianapolis News
lis something that the Canadian farmers
can see, understand and profit by. When
their farm machinery costs them less, thus
making their profits greater. it is, in effect,
the same as an increase in the price Of their
products, because in the general transaction
more money remains in their pockets. This
countrys recent experience has been that
when no tariff reduction lowered the price
Of farm implements and machinery and
fat protective schedule WAS adopted for
grains, the market broke badly from causes
not under tariff control-and which are
unlikely to come under tariff control-and
the farmers not only paid high prices for
what they bought. but got low prices for
what they sold comparison of the Ca
madam proposal and the Washington prac-
tice should be carefully made and pom
Gcred."
Here Is what the supporters Of the Ford
ncy-McCumber measure propose: They
put a stable tariff on corn. of which there
are extremely scant imports; on wheat the
price of which is dictated by the world mar
kct; on wool, in manner that will in
crease the cost OF the kind that il is neces
sary TO import. and thus make the farmers
clothes cost more; on hides. where his ad-
vantage will DO more than offset by the
increased cost OF shoes, etc, and on prac-
t!cally everything that he buys. thus boil
STEERING up the high cost OF living in gen
cral. The question of reasonable prices on
the commodities that the farmer buys has
been wholly left ont OF the calculation by
the trainers OF the pending bill, and, sad
to say, those Republican Senators who rep
resent agricultural constituencies arc among
its stanchcst supporters.