The St. Joseph observer., 1922-09-09

wAsHINGTON. sept 7.-tCorro-
spordcncc.)-Thc Tordncy-McCumbcr
proritccrs' Tariff bill, which passed
the Senate Saturday, August 10, will
now 90 to the tee box, according To
popular belief. there to remain until
after the November elections. In
other words, the bill will be I'm con-
ference. and an idea Of what q con-
ference means If the various amend
mcnts to the bill are seriously and in
telligontly discussed by the conforc"3
is found in the fact that the Senate
committee originally made 2.o57
amendments to the bill as it came
from the House, and most Of these
amendments only further disfigured
what was originally a most unlovely
piece Of legislation.
Not satisfied with those original
amendments the chairman Of tho Som
ate finance committee without having
previously called meeting Of the
committee. brought in 1G amendments
four days before the final vote on the
which obviously
could not be discussed and which only
half a dozen senators in the entire
body understood.
The pending tariff bill, with uncon-
scious facetiousness IS entitled "a bill
to provide revenue, to regulate COM
merce with foreign countries, to on
courage the Industries Of the United
states, and for other purposes" It
may be truthfulIy epltomized as "a
bill to prevent revenue, TO destroy
commerce with foreign countries, to
prevent Europe from paying us what
she owes us. to encourage the higher
cost of living. to insure the return OF
the Democratic party to power, and
for other purposes"
Is Generally Denounced
No tariff bill in the history Of the
country has been so generally de-
nounced as this one. Every leading
and influential Republican paper in
the country has attacked it, as well as
the Democratic and Independent
press. Every spokesman for lesiti-
mate buslness-that is every business
not seeking special privilege through
legislatlon-has opposed it,
The Fair Tariff League, an organi-
cation committed to the theory OF
tariff protection has covered it with
ridlcule and riddled It with statistical
facts.
1t is so bad in all its features that
its Republican trainers have beer
afraid to permit it to become a law
before the election. realizing that al
soon as it went into effect the prices
Of manufactured articles given the
profiteers' protection in the bill woulC
mount so high that even the orthodox
protectionists among Republican vot
ers, who were also consumers, woulC
turn against it.
Although the Republicans preten'
that they will have the bill in tn
hands Of the President early in Sep
tember. there is good reason to believ
that the real Republican plan is to lie
the bill stay In the ice boX-the con
ference committee-until after tn
November election, and in the mean
, time TO try TO fool the people b
promising to improve It at the shor
session which meets in December
They know that they won the cam
: paign OF 1920 on promises, and al
- though those promises have all bee
broken. they still believe that the pee
pie will again accept promises for per
e formance.
Defy President on Ship Subsidy Bill
Not only will Congress hold up tn
.' tariff bill In conference until afte
the election. but the statement ha
p been revived in the public press tha
It will also fail to pass the administri
ton Ship Subsidy bill before adjourn
ment. which it is hoped will be abol
= October /. President Harding hs
threatened to reconvene the Congre'
II It falls to pass the bill before aC
journment, but this is another meai
t ure which the Republicans are afrai
u to take to the people. Under this hi
it is proposed TO dispose Of $4,000
= 900, 900 worth OF the best merchai
ships afloat for s9OO,OOO,OOO and pa
the purchasers Of the ships S75O,0OO
d 900 TO take them off our hands.
! Republican congressman who hay
IS lately been among their people reali'
that while the American people fav'
an Intelligent marine policy whiC
S would put our ships in operation il
e stead Of tying them up 20 a dock, thu
1. will not stand for this policy Of gi
and subsidy with the additional tax