The New York herald., 1922-05-17
Republican Senators, Unin-
fluenced by Farm Bloc,
Demand Delay.
FEAR ELECTION EFFECT
Want Measure Constructed on
Sound Lines by Committee
of Experts.
By LOUIS sEIBoLD.

By LOUIS sEIBOLD.
ssecior Dispatch to THE New Yosk HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., May 16.
The attitude of many Republican
Senator'S toward the Fordney- McCum-
Der tariff bill. now being dissected in
the upper house. brings into mind two
famous criticisms Of the last tAriff
measure put through Congress by
their party.
When the Payne-Aldrich tariff meas
hre was originally passed in 1909 the
late J.. p. Dolliver. Senator from
Iowa and one Of the pioneers in the
successful insurgent movement In the
Republican party. made this observa-
k1on:
This year has witnessed the per-
petration Of the two greatest fakes
Of the century--the discovery of the
North Pole by DR.. Cook and the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill.
-Four years later. when the same
measure was being perfected. Albert
Jeremiah Beveridge, then Senator
from Indiana (and now again a candi-
date). characterized 1t as the work Of
the Lodge Root COM
bine and rank with injustices."
Mr. Beveridge's criticism was re-
called by some Democratic Senators
to-day in discussing the inadequacies
OF the pending bill pointed out by their
Republican, associates who are not af-
filiated with the agricultural bloc.
Described az Monstrosity.
Republican Senators who do not
acknowledge the right of the "dirt
farmer element in the national Legis-
lature to dictate tariff legislation de-
scribe the Fordney Nc cCumber meas
ure as "monstrosity." Most of their
Democratic colleagues who concur in
this estimate of the bill express the
hope that the Republican majority will
pass it as there will be a revulsion Of
popular opinion against it quite as
decisive rs that which followed enact
nent of the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill
and eventually split the Republican
party wide open.
Republican Senators who concede
certain reasonable privileges to the
agricultural interests frequently have
characterized the Fordney- McCumber
measure as 'amateurish, Ill considered
and unnecessary" in the present condi-
ton of business both at home and
abroad. They say the same thing
about the bonus bill. which originated
in identic quarters, and, like the tariff
measure, was framed with-the idea
that the American farmer is demand
ing a bill of which eventually he will
become the victim.
There appears to be genuine de-
mand among many Republicans that
the tariff be treated as business and
not political proposition and that
it shall provide a reasonable amount
of protection to all the elements OF
The population instead of only one.
Speeches by Republican as well as
Democratic Senators have reflected a
profound conviction that both parties
should cooperate to authorize the
Tariff Commission to work out sys-
tenn better adapted to the economic
needs of the country than is provided
by the pending measure.
Scientific Policy Not Observed.
This policy was not observed by the
Fordney and McCumber committees.
although a provision was Incorporated
giving to the President authority to
g. ~
dation of the Tariff Commission. This
provision is recognized as a sop to the
advocates OK genuine tarin system
and. according TO both Republican and
Democratic critics, will prove unwork-
able. as we'll as exposing the decisions
OF the commission to political influ-
ences.
In their zeal to please certain agri-
cultural interests of the country the
Fordney and McCumber committees
arc declared by both Republican and
Democratic members of the two houses
TO have ignored every other consider
alton. The charge was made In the
Ways and Means and Senate Finance
committees that the chief influences
which dictated the construction of the
personal character.
Schedules were framed, II Is de-
clared, for the sole purpose Of winning
members OF the two committees to sup
port the ambition of Messrs. Fordney
and McCumber to report the measure
20 their respective houses. That is
the generally accepted version OF the
manner In which the bill was passed
by the House and sent to the Senate.
Credit is given to members of the
two committees for having compelled
the acceptance of proposals designed
Continued on Page Nine.