The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-11
NO INTENTION
OF DEFERRING
TARIFF ACTION
Leaders Not to Abandon the
Measure-Talk of Throw
ing Bill Overheard Comes
From Country, Not Senate.
FORDNEY is AMBITIOUS
Bv MARK SULLIVAN

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE talk
about Republican senators throwing
the tariff overheard and deferring
action until a later session Of con-
gress comes not from within congress,
but from the country. Within the
senate there is not, among the Repub-
lican leaders, any sign of an inten-
ton than to go ahead and pass the
bill according to program.
1t is true that suggestions OF post
ponement from the country come
from powerful sources and from in
dividuals whose judgment has much
weight with Republican leaders.
Nevertheless, there is no sign that the
suggestion is receiving serious con-
sideration. 1t is probable that many
Republican leaders are fairly bored
with the tariff situation as it stands.
If they had not a beginning now, they
might well defer action on the tariff.
But to do so under present circum-
stances, would involve serious loss of
face" on the part of the Republican
senators and leaders.
Not to Abandon Bill
There could hardly be a more vivid
picture of futility on the part of con-
gress already suffering seriously from
adverse judgment than to abandon an
enterprise after spending so many
months of work on it.
The argument of those throughout
the country, who advocate throwing
the tariff overheard, rests on the
familiar ground that world conditions
are not yet sufficiently stable to make
an intelligent tariff possible; that
there is no condition in American
business calling for a new tariff, but,
On the contrary, the country Is in
state of increasing business activity.
Nevertheless. the program is to pass
The present bill.
While the bill will be passed at this
session, the best judgment Is that 1t
will not get on the statute books until
very close to the November elections.
The lower house of congress will not
return to Washington until August 15
1t Is by no means probable that the
senate will have finished with The bill
by that date. Even in the very i'm
probable event that the senate viii
have finished by August Is, there re
mains the matter of conference be-
tween the senate and the house to
adjust differences.
Sept. 15 Earliest Date
The lowest estimate Of the time re-
quired for conference Is four weeks.
This would make Sept Is the earliest
possible for the passage of the bill.
But persons familiar with the proba-
bilities of delay inherent in the sit
uaton, will be inclined to add from
four to SIX weeks to this date.
All that is meant to be said here,
Is that there is no intention whatso-
ever on the part of the Republican
leaders to postpone the tariff until
later session Of congress. The delays
inherent in the case might possibly
throw 1t overheard, but the crystalliz.
ed intention Of the Republican leaders
to go aheard with it. The more Opt.
mistic of them think they may he able
to pass 1t by Oct 1, but, as I have
said, this hope may fall short of fulfil.
ment Doubtless, good many Republi-
can leaders wish they we're not In the
present tariff mess; wish that they
had not made beginning, and deplore
the zeal of those ardent high protec
tionists who are responsible for baving
hurried matters.
Representative Fordney, the Repub
lican chairman of the Ways and Means
committee in the lower house, is prob
dbiJ do IuuCH I6SpOuSlDle dS dQN OIQ0l
man for having the tariff going sc
early. 1t is his intention to retire al
the end of the present session, ant
he is credited, rightly or wrongly, with
the motive of having wanted for many
years to crown his service in congress
and his long career as a high protec
ZIONIST by getting his name on {
tariff ll.-(Copyright, 1922, by thC
New York Evening Post, Inc)