The New York herald., 1922-06-26
DEFEAT OF TARIFF GAG
FORECAST IN REVOLT

to increase the powers of the present
tariff commission-which is now pow
erless in the hands of Congress-and
to expand the scope of II personnel
and authority.
The demand in favor of discarding
the obsolete and unsatisfactory
methods for building a tariff on a
political foundation merely to vindi-
cate the archaic doctrines OF the
party has been repeatedly brought TO
light in the tariff discussions. One
thing appears to be absolutely certain.
The Republican party has lost sym
pathetic contact with the business in
terests of the country.
The demand for the disproportionate
and haphazard scheme proposed by
Mr.. McCumber comes from himself
and other Senators who expect to reap
desirable political benefits. and not
from the business interests of the
country.
Series Of RevOIts.
From the start of the tariff debate
there have been revolts among the
Republican Senators against the
schedules reported by Mr.. McCumber.
The first outbreak came over the
cyanide of potassium schedule, on
which a duty of 10 per cent. ad
valorem was proposed. The Senate
placed 1t on the free list. Casein,
used In making coated paper, was
taken from the free list by the Sen
ate and a duty of 4 cents a pound
imposed. This will increase the cost
Of schoolbooks tremendously.
The brick schedule was revised by
taking it from the free list and
tariff of % per cent. ad valorem
adopted because Senator Gooding of
Idaho demanded it, Common build
ing bricks were finally placed on the
free list, as was cement, on which the
McCumber bill proposed duty OF D
cents a pound. The Senate lowered
the rates of safety razors, bicycles,
surgical, chemical and medical instru-
ments, lenses, iron and steel anchors,
electric storage batteries, nails and
spikes, umbrella and parasol frames,
with other cuts in prospect.
But to meet the demand' of certain
Senators sewing machines, which
were on the free list, will have to bear
duty of from 25 to 40 per cent. ad
volorem; cash registers were taken
from the free list and a duty of 25
per cent. ad valorem imposed; cream
separators will also have to bear a
duty of % per cent
Potash and other fertilizers (pro-
duced outside the United States) will
be placed on the free list on the de-
mand of the farmers, who are for the
highest protection on everything pro-
duced in this country.
A big fight will be scheduled when
the hide schedule is reached during the
coming week. Senator Underwood said
in debate the other day that the pro-
posed compensatory tariff will add
800 900. 900 to the national shoe bill. 1t
has been charged in the Senate that
no one but the packers are in favor
of the rates proposed by the tariff
bill. Independent tanners have petit
toned Congress. to remove the tariff on
hides, which have been on the free list
since the Payne-Aldrich bill
Critics of the hide schedule contend
that the tariff proposed will add forty
cents to every pair of shoes offered for
sale.
The wool schedule will also provoke
an animated debate. In the Payne
Aldrich bill the rate was eleven cents a
pound. The McCumber bill raised it to
thirty-three cents. The tariff on all
grades OF wool Is elevated in the Nc
Cumber bill, fact which has en-
couraged wool dealers and tailors to
raise the price Of their product and
manufactured clothing