The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-10-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
Rv Wallace Rassford

W 'l~tillt lbIl. II. ~ W. IN
President says the election OF Dem
ocratic House this fall would be
calamity. In the Judgment Of the
Democratic leaders of the House and
Senate this is correct-to a certain
degree. II would undoubtedly be 4
calamity to the President, to the Re
publican party. and to the special
interests which dominate the admin
istration for their own gain; il would
he such calamity as befeH Taft in
1910. when the Democrats took pos
session uf Congress and put Squdrely
IN 10 Taft q splendid program Of pro-
grcssive legislation. They nut stop
to his favorS to corporate greed ana
laid the foundation for the grea, Dem
ocratic victory of 1912, which itself
was followed by the greatest era Of
prosperity ever known since the "seV-
on years Of plenty" described il the
Bible To the people, suffering under
var taxes four wears after the con-
clusion of the war and now handed a
new high tariff law. il would be
blessed relief. as it would he to the
Treasury. facing a deficit which even
the President says will reach l62 mil
lions. Bat the Republicans are not
..iy very apprehensive that there
will be Democratic House elected,
as shown by the fear voiced by the
President. but they anticipate the re-
lotion of the Republican majority
N the Senate-a loss so great that
hey eXrcct the Democrats, by join
ing hands with the Progressive
Farm Bloc Republicans. to he able TO
control legislation in that body. They
can see the loss of Fre!ing hUyscn in
New Jersey. Calder in New York. the
Iowa seat for which they have NOM
mated BroOkhart. a Socialist, Town
send in Michigan, probably Lodge IN
Massachusetts. and others. On the
other hand, the Democrats are eN-
nected to retain the seats of Reed OF
Missouri and Pomcrene of Ohio. two
of the most valuable Democratic
fighters in the Senate
1t has long been a proverb that
chickens Gene home to roost." In
the case OF the FCrdnev tariff law it
might be moro appropriate to call
them huZzards. fOr they are birds OF
ill-amen They are already coming.
The Fordney law puts 4 greatly liz
creased tax on sugar coming in from
Cuba, thing which increases the
price Of the commodity To every
American user, but lessons Cuha's
market for her principal product.
Naturally the Cubans are indignant
and in bad frame of mind; like the
remainder Of humanity. their most
sensitive nerves are those which eX-
tend to the unCkcthook. They are re-
talating by placing a tax of 100 neT
cent on all American shoes entering
the c0untry-the result IS simply
stated-n0 American shoes will en-
ter. This means the CuttlnS "a nj
about $14.000,0G0 worth of shoes each
wear. affecting the shoe business, fac
tory employees. and even The tanner
and producer OF hides. Does any one
think that the remainder of the coun-
Irics OF the world will witness this
performance on the part OF Cuba ard
not take similar steps? They are all
nit by our tariff law and II is only
natural that they should retdIl1f".
they will do what any OF Us would do
AS individuals they vii! buy from
those who buy from them, thew Will
decline to purchase the wares 81
.hnse countries which shut ont their
products hs high tariff walls like the
Fardncy law. Their best method OF
doinS this is by fighting us with our
own weapons -retaiiatOry tariffs. Does
anyone suppose that Eng France,
italy. Japan. will hesitate 10 do the
thing which our best friend among
:hc nations has just done? Cuba owes
her national existence to the United
States. yet she has no hesitapcy in
fighting back. Just the other day Sen
ator CaraWay returned from Europe
With the observation that they are all
antagOniStic to us. No one doubts
this. for too many evidences of its
truth have appeared in the press. If
Cuba can cut deeply into our sales Of
one product by one tariff rate, what
can all the countries OF Europe do to
lis in their wrath? Already the great
trade which filled thousands Of ships
under the late Democratic admins
iration has dwindled to less than half
Of what it was three years ago. hun
dreds of great s.ael vessels are swing
wooden vessels new and capable,
lave been sold for less than one per
cent of their cost with the nroviso
that they must be broken IN t. pre-
rent their sailing in competition with
the vessels OF the Shipping trust.
These are some Of the buzzards that
are coming home to roOst on Uncle
Sans high tariff fence:
First speck and then Yulture,
Till the air is thick with piEi2ns.
These are the first of the Fastening
i'll of Rtpublicanism- tariff wars. idle
ships. Treasury Deficiencies.
Democrats everywhere Will be glad
% hear that the word comes to
Washington that Champ Clark's old
district is going To be redeemed by
his brilliant Young parliamentary ex-
pert, Cannon. He will come to Con-
"ress rarely and splenddly equipped
for the job. having had more than ten
>~:'.f qualifying experience around
Congress-. He will possess an unusual
cCuipment-farm LAWYER. school
teacher. parliamcntarian, II was he