The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-07-25
REPUBS DROP
ALL HOPE OF
TARIFF BILL
Can See No Hope of Passing Bill
Before Campaign.
HAVEN'T TAKEN UP
HALF OF THE 1000
CLAUSE AMENDMENTS
Members May Have to Conduct
Campaign by Letter.
By GEORGE Il. MANNING

I lWashington Correspondent Of Pensacola
JournaI.)
WASHINGTON, July 24-Ar hopes Of
passing the Fordney- -McCumber tariff bill
in time for them to participate in the
coming congressional campaign appears
to have been abandoned by Reublican
leaders of the senate.
1t now seems that consideration of the
measure will be extended to the end of
September or the middle of October, and
the matter is becoming a source of grave
fears among the contingent of the upper
chamber who come up for reelection
this fall. Their presence on the ground is
needed in order to combat criticism of
certain of the high schedules provoked
by Democratic members and the insur-
gent Republican group.
Campaigning BY Mall.
Tariff legislation must either be laid
aside with the ship subsidy and soldier
bonus bills, or the congressional cam
paign will be carried on from offices of
senators and representatives at the capt.
toll. Something of a long distance cam
paign would follow from this. Members
would have their electioneering by mail
and by proxy, which recent events have
pointed out to be very ineffective meth
cd procedure, entailing the loss of per-
sonal touch with their constituencies.
Stumbling Block.
The tariff is the main stumbling block.
Ship subsidy and bonus legislation, it is
said, might be negotiated with compare
tive ease. Those measures could be en-
acted into law within reasonable time,
but political observers who have watched
the course of tariff debate in congress
during previous administrations believe
that the Fordney -McCumber cannot be
disposed of by the senate, by the confer
ence committee and by the house and
senate again until the fall months have
arrived.
Months More.
If progress on the remainder of the
bill is no greater than on that which has
already been disposed of five or SIX
months in the least, will be needed to
pass it, 1t is thought that the confer
ence between members of the house and
senate to adjust the differences arising
between the two chambers will take an
other month.
sooth Paragraph.
Up to the present time, the senate mas
only passed the nine hundredth para
graph of the bill which has 1880 para |
craps. Further, many of the debataole
items in the bill have been passed oyer
and still have to come up for discussion |
And after the total number of paragraphs |
have been disposed of there are $40 sec |
tions covering administrative matters and
general provisions which must be consld- |
cred.
The tariff bill has been before the upperi
chamber for three months, having oeen
presented for debate on April 20. so tar
only committe amendments bearing upon
rates have been eonsidered-under the
rule no minority amendments may De 1
considered until after those by the COM |
mittee have been disposed of. Therefore
it is estimated that the senate has not
actually acted upon one-third OF the Dill |
Hardest Items.
Greater STILL the remaining two othirds |
nature, such as the duties on flax, sllk' |
nature, such as the dutise on flax, sllk' |
sugar, wool, leather, and other commodl- |
ties of a similar character. Then too'
there are the clauses relating to aroltrary
fixing rates by the president, RECIPROCITY |
and the reappraisement of vaines upon
protest. All of which, together with the
fight to come on the American Vaiuatlon
principle will provide ground for unlimited
discussion, wich may carry the ultimate
date of vote way in to the future
In reporting the bill, the senate finance
COMMITTEES recommended 2,oS2 amend
ments to the measure as passed by the
house. Since then the committee has Of
fered numerous changes and reyisions-
100 Amendments.
And the Democratic minority is prepar- |
ed to offer in the neighborhood of 100 u
amendments, which are yet to be con-
sidered.
Congress- set out in January. 1921, to
write a new tariff; more than 18 months |
have passed with the bill stin unfinished
business of the senate. No legislation IN |
recent years has moved SO slowly towards |
final consummation, it is said.
During approximately Is months the /
bill was in the course of preparation in