The New York herald., 1922-07-22
DEMOCRATS CHARGE
TARIFF JUGGLING BY
GUGGENHEIM GROUP
Senator Smith, Leading At
tack, Alleges Dictation
Of Arsenic Duty.
$18,OOO,OOO is INVOLVED
By-Product Of Copper Smell
ter Necessity in Fight
ing Boil Weevil.
ALWAYS ON FREE LIST
Linen Rates Adopted King
Says They Will Cost U. s.
$25, 100000 Yearly.
ALWAYS ON FREE LIST
sSecidl Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HsnALp.
New York Herald Bureau,l
WnshingfOn. ID. C.. ,yuIy 21


6pecfdl Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HBrALp
New York Herald Bureau,l
Washington. ID. c.. July 21.
The Guggenheim interests were un-
der fire in the Senate to-day during
consideration Of the Fordney- Nc Cum
ber tariff bill. They were accused by
Senator Smith (Dem., 8. C.). backed
by other Democrats, Of having OBJ
tained a duty on one of the by-prod-
ucts of their copper mines which will
put an additional $1s.ooo.o00 year
into their pockets. The victims, Sena-
tor Smith said, will be the cotton grow
ers Of the South, who are fighting to
exterminate the boil weevil.
The item Senator Smith attacked
was the very first in the tariff bill
levying a duty of two cents a pound
on white arsenic, which, he explained
is by-product in copper mining. It's
salvage during the mining process, he
said. Is compulsory under the laws OF
various States. which require the ar
senic to be confined, so that 1t will not
destroy vegetation.
Always before, arsenic has been on
the free list, but recently the demand
for 1t has Increased, since, as a COM
ponent OF calcium arsenate, II has been
found. through experiments conducted
by the Department of Agriculture. tc
be virtually the only poison that will
destroy the boil weevjl.
Promises startling story. .
This charge featured q busy although
tedious day devoted to the tariff bill
In the end, all but a few of the items
In the Jute. hemp and flax schedule
were adopted. The finance committee
rates generally were sustained which
means. according to Senator King (Dem
Utah). an increase in Americas lined
bill of from $3.50 900 t. $4o00o.o0o year
The rate Of two cents pound on
arsenic was adopted three months ago
In the chemical schedule so that Senator
Smiths attack to-day was entirely out
side the regular order of business. He
served notice, however. that when the
bill was taken up by the Senate he
would make fight to have it ellmi.
mated.
He declared he will show how the
Guggenheim interests obtained the rate
on arsenic, revealing a story startling
in Its details. He will attempt, also
he said. to show that the victims of the
rate will be not only the cotton growers
OF the South, but also the farmers and
fruit growers of virtually every State
Product . Necessity.
white arsenic" said Senator Smith,
SwaA put on the free list because not
only was It a by-product but 1t was an
essential ingredient In order to keer
down the startling ravages OF the pests
on the farm. The Department Of Agri-
culture has spent something like $12,-
100000 to fnd some method of con.
trolling the boil weevil, and during the
last two years there has been some
thing Of hope In the use of calcium
arsenic.
snow, just as we have discovered that
II would require thousands of pounds
OF this substance to treat the 35.000,-
600 acres of cotton which is grown in
the South. Immediately. for the frs,
time In the history of tariff legislation
a duty OF cents pound Is placed
upon these ingredients of an article
which Is necessary to protect the fields
and orchards In America.
Il am going to take occasion to show
later that the imposition of this duty
is unquestionably the most shameless
favoritism for one combination and 70,
ono set Of men, infiicting upon the cot.
ton growers OF the South alone an ad-
ditional debt Of SIS. 100000 in their fight
TO eradicate an evil which IL threaten
ing the destruction Of a billion dollars
worth Of property and also wrest from
US the cotton supremacy of the world
smoot Questions Figures.
Senator smoot (Rep.. Utah) OF the
Finance Committee questioned Senator
Smiths figures. insisting that the duty
on arsenic meant no such thing to the
cotton growers or anybody else Sen.
ator Smith declared that II required
four or Ave pounds several times a year
for every acre to kill the boil weevil
and that since the insect has spread &c
such an extent, causing annual losses oi
500. 900. 900. a total of $4,000. 900 acres
Of cotton land had to be treated.
With this out of the way the Senate
settled down again to the Jute, hemr
and fax items, all OF which are greatly
involved and difficult to follow. AS q
result the Finance Committee rates
were adopted, In spite OF amendments
to reduce them introduced at every op.
portunity by Senator Robinson (Dem.
Ark.). In charge of this part OF the
Democratic fight against the bill Or
the few record votes the only Repub.
lcsns who voted against tho Finance
Committee rates were Senator'S Kellogg
tNinn.l. Keyes On. HI. Moses IN. HI
Nelson (Minn.) and Capper tKan.).
On linen yarn the rates dopted were
frsm 80 10 40 per cent ad valorem
on linen threads not less than 40 per
cent ad valorem; on cordage, 2 cents
. pound on woven fabrics, from so tc
IS per cent. ad valorem on table linen
and napkins. from 40 to So per cent. ad
valorem on handkerchiefs. from 35 "a
as per cent. ad valorem; on liner
clothing. 35 per cent ad valorem and
on floor covering. s5 per cent at
valorem. AZ q rule the rates are from
70 10 per cent greater than those oi
tho Underwood bill.
Ihea{r1oSi and HSzsi S11 f1S1S1ra170-