Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-25
GRAPHITE TAX
CAUSES A SIX
HOUR Dispute
Wrangie Splits Both the
Republican and Demo-
cratic Ranks: Finance
Committee Majority Wins

Washington, May 24.-Practically
all the daylight hours today we're
spent by the senate in fight over
the tariff duties on graphite, which
split both the republican and DEM
ocratic ranks but left the finance
committee majority victorious. As
sault after assault was made on the
committee proposals but the duties
1were approved as recommended
ten per cent ad valorem on amer
lphous graphite; 20 per cent crystal
line lump and two cents pound on
crystalline flakes.
After six-hour struggle over
this one item, the senate settled
down to its tenth night session
since the tariff bill was called up.
Attendance of majority senator's
Icontinued to be unsatisfactory to
republican leaders who issued
call for party conference tomor-
row at which republicans again will
be urged to stay on the job.
Made Subject of jest.
The split among the democrats
over graphite was made the subject
of jest by several speakers on the
Republican side today and brought
la statement from Senator Borah, of
Idaho, that there wasn't such a
wide difference between the two
parties on the tariff question, the
democrats favoting protection for
products of their states. This was
4 I,N, 40 IL n
ocrat, Kentucky, who declared he
never would vote to use the taxing
power of the government to sub
sidize industry. Senator Gooding,
of Idaho, chairman of the republi-
can agricultural tariff bloc, eX-
lpressed hope that the division OF
the minority presaged the day
when the two parties would come
together on the question with pro-
lection to all industry.
Senator Nicholson. republican,
Colorado, opened the fight for high
Ter duties than those proposed by
1.-THE committee on graphite.
Exhibiting pound cans of finished
graphite, such as is sold to auto
mobile users. Senator Nicholson
told the senate these retailed for
from 75 cents to s1.50 each, while
/ the cost of the raw material to the
manufacturers was from two to
five cents pound.
"If the federal trade commission
were attending to it's business, this
imposition | on the American con-
sumers would not be possible the
colorado senator declared.
Insist On Higher Duty.
Senator Nicholson and Senator
Heflin, Alabama, insisted that a
higher duty was necessary to enable
the American graphite mines to
operate in competition with those
| in Mexico, Ceylon and Madagascar,
with their peon labor" Disput-
ling this contention. Senator Town
send, Michigan, and the New Jer-
lsey senators argued that American
graphite was not suitable for the
manufacture of some graphite
products and that foreign products
Ibid not come into competition with
| the American products.
Senator Heflin, in which state
flake graphite is produced, said
this was war industry in its in
lfant stage and deserved some meas
ure of protection. He added that
Senator Frelinghuysen had been
willing to put tax on salt used by
every man, woman and child in the
country, but was unwilling to place
tax on graphite used by a great
trust"
Approve Flourspar Rate.
Early in the night session there
was difficulty in obtaining a quo.
rum, but later the attendance or
| the necessary forty-nine senator's
was obtained. The senate then ap-
proved a committee rate of $3.50
ton on flourspar, after rejecting,
Is to 3S, an amendment by Sena-
tor Jones, democrat, New Mexico
Ito reduce the duty to $f.5O.