The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-06-23
X WHO'S HERE
HE TARIFF AGAIN
QUESTION THAT DIVIDES
~ DISTRACTS COUNTRY AS
ORETIME.
4 (By Wallace Bassford)

ehington, d. c., June 19.-When
Underwood of Alabama was in
tuse of representatives he built
"a treat reputation as an expert on
< zriff; he became chairman of the
eQ1lttee on ways and means and his
xUrE4 became fastened on the tariff
mich his committee compiled and
trough the house. Under that
0&4re the country enjoyed the
eSt prosperity it ever knew, and
aimed for the greed of Ameri-
eAA ufacturers to find fault with
fI1e INV. Mr.. Underwood is now the
Gx.test democratic leader in the sem
nt4 He has written for the New York
8lle the greatest democratic news
N4Hef Of this time, long article on
kIl4 Hfoposed tariff law now before the
&4<3ea Space fOrbids its using in full,
1UE IRE are some of the most peril
uc1t PARA graphs:
haye always opposed in principle
IN cory of protection, and have
|eN8e4 strongly to the idea that Gus
eoIn1 taxation should be levied pri-
mainly IN the interest of revenue for
NV AX* ~ httcEt, anu lillI ali IdleS OI
taxaff0fl should be so adjusted as to
allow reasonable inflow of goods
from broad in oredr that the custom
aQuse might have an opportunity to
take IT. toll as they passed through
md some degree of competition might
" established. | have never contend
ed that, in the interest of a revenu
tariH, II is necessary to bring about
iestructive competition, but a tariff
that fxes the rates of taxation so high
as 70 practically prohibit foreign
goods from entering the American
market at all has been abhorrent to
my ideas of the proper use of the tax
ing power of the congress of the
United States.
Outstrips All Other Bills.
There are some few low rates in
The pending bill. There are some ar
ticles on the free list. But taking it
all In all, it is undoubtedly the most
prohibiting tariff bill that has ever
been proposed in the American con-
greSs, md the rates of taxation are
higher md less defensible than any
that have ever been presented to us
u the past. It looks as if those
:harged with the responsibility of
writing the bill have accepted un-
lualiiicdIy the rates proposed by the
'pecial Interests desiring protection
md have not given consideration to
he resultant effect on the general
nusiness of the country or the burdens
hat must be borne by the consumers
if America. Should the bill become
4 law the American people will find
his out in time, but it will be after
hey have paid the price of the eXper-
THE democratic party is often
,harged with being a free trade par
IL. So far as | know from the begin
ming the democratic party has never
abond0ned the system of raising taxes
1t the custom house. There are free
raiders in the democratic party and
have known some in the republican
,arty. AS | understand it, the posi-
ion of the democratic party is that
axes levieS at the custom house
should be for revenue purposes only,
hat the custom house is place where
revenue may be obtained to run the
and that it provides a
|ouvenient way of raising a certain
1fnollnt of revenue; that if the reve-
M 1ax be levied at the custom house
n 40ch way that it does not unduly
f1lle competition from abroad, and
- peyson who pays it really pays il
4 Tie government, it is reasonable
W 70 raise revenue But when the
Z 81 levied so high that very few
mis- come in-and if imports do
no&s through the custom house
I IGove no taxes behind them-the
Al merely that of raising the
(xne producer.
SHhich goes into the pockets of
etfect of portective tariff laws,
Inguished from tariffs for rev.
&&1y, has been to tax the great
0f the American people and to
1c the profits of few. | often
16tialism and communism con-
6Uo do not believe in either.
Is discrimination on the part
4 <ll& xoyernment against the masses
n <6e people for the benefit of the
|4x that sows the seed from which
yroU9sthe tree of discomfort, and dis i
>ont1nt when brought about by IN
u&t laws reflects on the whole system
= KN<<xnllltHI. 1 DS4lFNe NHal NNt
<re4t powers of the government are
Intended to be used only for the bene-
y cf a3l people. not for the promotion
4 special interests, and / care not
yhethcr those special interests come !
w 81 the fields of agriculture or arise |
{C14 he smoke stacks of a steel mill. !
~ f1S opinion, if il were not for
~ <xpcprt given the bill by senators
no t<QreSent agricultural constitu- |
~e<co s. would be impossible to pass
thKough the senate. The argument |
1.11{cnred that since taxes are to be 1
&} on manufactured products, ]
<9 Should also be levied on agri- /
rI<1f1l products, and that if the peo- !
~ nre 20 be penalized for the benefit |
{ the manufacturer they should like !
T1se b. penalized for the benefit of |
he farmer. Wher the fallacy of this I
|rgumeut comes is that under the 4
yzzlse Of doing something to help the |
arn1er in some particular item, their |
'upport is asked for a bill that as a !
rhcle meanS that for every dollar the !
Hfmcrs may derive from the bill they |
rIH U1x~ 81 00 in taxes for tho hanpfi |