The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-06-28
Democrats
AttackFarnn
Tariff Rates
Walsh Opposes Giving Asri.
cultural Districts Protec.
ton, Alleging Raid on
Consumers
Agrarians Defend Plan

hHAotsuiio DStSiit Iois
Washington. June H-rhc agri-
cultural schedule in the adminis,ra-
ton tariff bill was attacked today in
the senate by Senator Walsh OF Mas
sachusct,s, democratic member OF
the finance committee, and defended
by Chairman McCumber oi that
committee and Senator Gooding, re-
publican, Idaho chairman OF the re-
publican agricultural tariff bloc.
The debate continued for several
hours with a result that none OF the
committee amendments in the schcd-
Vie was voted upon.
The paragraph dealing with du-
DNcs on cattle and fresh beef and
veal fiually came under consideration
and, without record vote. admend-
ments by Senator Walsh of Massa-
chusctts to reduce the committee
rates were rejected. He sought to
substitute $40 cents a pound for
IL cents pound OH live cattle
weighing less than l050 pounds;
! LILO cents pound for cents a
, pound or such cattle weighing more
than 1850, and 2 cents a pound for
fresh beef and veal in place OF the
committee rate OF 3 IL cents.
Charge Raid on Consumers.
Asserting that the bill was IAN at
tempt to make a raid on the con-
sumers OF the country such as never
before has been dreamed" Senator
Walsh declared that if effective the
duties proposed on meats, cereals,
potatoes and apples alone would in
crease the cost to the consumers
by Sl,3l6,000,000 annually. or about
$8l for the average family OF six.
This did not take into account, he
said, the increased costs that would
follow from the duties on butter,
eggs, poultry, fruit, fish and the
many other foods in the schedule.
Discussing what he designated as
the influence OF the republican agri-
cultural tariff bloc on the senate
finance committee majority in the
framing OF the bill. Senator Walsh
said that "this influence and pres
sure" was successful as shown by
the fact that the committee increased
from 20 to IS per cent the duties
on commodities in which the bloc
was interested and reduced the
house rates on all other products in
the agriculture schedule. He as
serted also that rates were lowered
~ agricultural products of the DEM
ocratic states of the south and said
it was "inconceivable that political
party would carry partisanship to
such an extent"
McCumber Defends Plan.
Senator Walsh said he did not
know of any schedule in the bill that
was more "indefensible" than the
agricultural schedules that would re-
suit in such serious consequences
to the American people and to the
economic situation in this country,
and he expressed the hopes that the
committee majority would follow in
this case its policy of making reduc-
tions in rates originally written into
the bill
Replying for the committees. Sena-
tor McCumber declared he was
willing to take his share of the re-
sponsibility for the increase over
the house rate, adding that they
would have been made, bloc or no
bloc. He said he was glad of the
assistance that the bloc had given
in doing justice to the farmer
"The farmer is in need of all the
assistance we give him through a
tariff or by any other means
The North Dakota senator argued
that the farm workers were as much
entitled to living wage as the work
ers in the city whose wages and
standard OF living, he said, had been
advanced to a high plane under a
protective tariff system.
Ask Square Deal"
As to the effect of tariff duties on
prices, Senator McCumber expressed
the opinion that not all of the pro-
posed increases in tariffs on farm
products would be passed on to the
4NskSumer, but asserted that even If
they were the city man with wage
range from S. to 81 day should be
willing to pay out "few cents extra"
each day for foodstuffs so as to EN-
able the farmer to earn living"
Senator Gooding expressed sur
prise that an attack on the agri-
cltural schedule had been made by
senator from state, the industries
of which, he said. had been protected
foi 100 years. He said this was the
first time that New England had not
written the tariff bill. because it was
the first time that the west had had
enough men on the finance committee
to give Square deal" to the farmer
,s ,ue1I as the m manufacturer \