The Delta independent., 1922-09-01
LOCAL PRoTEcTIoNERs-
NATIONAL FREE TRADERS

Washington, August 30 Especial
correspondence)-B a nearly two to
one vote the Fordney-McCumber tar.
iff bill passed the Senate August 18th
To be exact, the vote was "Yeas" 4S,
Mays" %, mot Voting" 23. OF the
% who did not vote, on account of
absence, or some other cause, -
would have voted for the bill, if pres
ent and IL against it. This would
have made the full vote 60 for and SO
against.
Only three Democrats were con,
sistently protectionist throughout,
voting for the measure on the final
roll call. They ere the two Senators
from Louisiana, Broussard and Rams
dell, and Kendrick of Wyoming, who
is up for reelection. With the sole
exception of Kendrick, the forecast
of the Republican Publicity Associa.
tion made early in June as to how
the Democrats would vote for the bill
was correct.
Some weeks ago Ashurst OF Arizo-
ma announced that if, in his belief,
vote for it. He was at that time
splitting the blue empyrean with
speeches for protection of Pima cot
ton. The Senate gave that commod,
ity cents pound. Ashurst wanted
twice that much. He also voted for
high protective rates on other com.
modities. in the majority Of instances
for higher protection than the Sen
ate conceded. Finally he voted against
the bill. He will now attend to
his Arizona campaign and attempt to
convince his constituents that he was
a high protectionist as far as their
interests were concerned, but the
bill was not an honest bill" and the
conscience which snatched at Is
cents a pound on Pima cotton recoil.
ed from about 13 per cent.
On all Texas products Sheppard of
that state voted for the highest pos
sible protection, he also outbidding
the Senate on those products. But
when the showdown came he voted
against the bill. There was no limit
to the duties he would exact for pea,
nuts, vegetable oils. Angora wool.
rice. ETC., but when it came to pro
tecting the products Of other States
he was tariff chameleon. Hef1in of
Alabama demanded prohibitive
duty on graphite. The records do not
show what financial interest he has in
that commodity. 1t is a new Alabama
industry, created by the late war,
which has been closed down during
the past three years of competition
under the Democratic tariff law. The
graphite industry received adequate
protection from the Senate. but when
the final vote came Heflin had switch,
ed to the free trade side. Fletcher
and Trammell, of Florida, who had
been so solicitous for protection to
citrus fruits and pineapples, went
back to the free trade camp when the
whole bill was put to a vote. About
the time peanuts were being discuss
ed in the Senate Swanson Of Virginia
was campaigning for reelection, and
Virginia is the goober state. He vot-
ed for prohibitive rates on peanuts.
against the bill. Jones of New Mex
leo followed in the footsteps of AS
hurst and will emulate that nimble
gentleman in his campaign for reelec-
tion. And so it went.
Naturally, Congress and the coun.
try have far greater respect for
those Democratic Senators who were
out and out free traders and went
down with their flag flying, than they
have for those who carried a locker
full of colors from which selection
was made to meet any expediency
The truth is these Kaleidoscope flag
flyers knew well the Republicans
would pass bill which protected all
irrespective Of section; so
they sought the backing Of the i'm
porters for reelection as free traders.
and of their immediate constituents
as high-priests OF protection where
the interests Of those constituents
were concerned. They made the tar
III local issue because by caliber
they are local office-holders.