The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-19
"Reactionary' Republicans
Responsible for Defeat OF
Measure-Would Have
Curbed Exchanges
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THE AGE-HERALD ;
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The amendment proposed by Sena-
tor Dial of South Carolina to the ag-
ricultural appropriation bill, under
the terms of which cotton future
contracts would have been made more
definite, and the producer Of the
staple given, it was contended, "a
square deal" was defeated this aft
ernoon by a vote of 46 to 81.
The "reactionary" republican ele-
ment was responsible for the defeat
Of the amendment. Though Senator
Capper of Kansas, chief of the farm
bloc. opposed it, it had the support
Of other so-called 'progressives'-
Senators Borah, Brookhart, Johnson,
LaFollette and Norris. Southern
senators were almost equally divid-
ed. the amendment having received
the support Of Senators Dial, Fetch
err, George. Glass, Overman, Owen,
Shields. Underwood and Williams
and the. opposition of Senators cul-
VERSION. HIeffi4f; MnKellar. Ransden.
Robinson, Sheppard, Swanson and
Trammell.
Fail to Vote
A fact regarded as singularly sig
nificant was the failure of many
southern senator's to vote. In this
class were grouped Ashurst, Brous-
sard, Caraway Harris, HARRISON
Smith. Simmons and Stanley, II
majority of these senator's were IN
the capitol, and one at least was
occupying his seat
Senator Heflin of, Alabama, AFTER
a conference with Senator Ransdell
of Louisiana. opened the debate with
the expression of fear that the Dial
amendment would give the spinners
an opportunity to "bear" the market
and outlaw off-grade cotton, and
contention that the object sought by
the Dial amendment was in part al
ready Incorporated in the law. He
agreed that the exchanges sometimes
violate the law, and in an effort TO
prevent such violations, offered
resolution authorizing the Secretary
of Agriculture to suspend such vio
lators on complaint OF two south
ern governors and two commissioners
of agriculture.
Attacks RnnsdniI
Senator Dial. replying to Senator
Heflin. paid his respects to Senator
Ransdell of Louisiana, the real lead
er of the opposition.
1.-The senator from Louisiana he
said, wired me last summer not to
opinion, it would pat the exchanges
out of business. Likewise. at later
date, he wrote me to the same et-
feet, again stressing his opinion that
the amendment would injuriously af-
feet the exchanges. On the floor we
hear If the senator's friendship for
the producer. 1t was not for the pro-
Queer but for the exchanges, that the
senator, in his communication,f exer-
cised himself"
That was the nearest the South
Carolina senator came to charging
that Senator Ransdell and other SEN
ators from agricultural states were
less interested in the farmer than the
exchanges. 1t was his direct intima-
ton, however that while opposing
senators were honest in their posi-
tions, at the same time they delivered
themselves of arguments in which
the exchanges found particular de-
light.
Senator Dial defied any man to
debate the merits of his amendment
and denied the statement of Senator
Heflin that existing law already
covered the grievances"
Reaction in Alabama.
The defeat of the Dial amendment
will have a reaction in Alabama, it
is generally thought certain The
Dial amendment was an outgrowth
of a similar amendment introduced
by former Senator B, B. Conner of
Alabama. With the assistance of
Senator Underwood and others rep
resenting cotton states. Senator
Conner forced his amendment over
the opposition of Senator Ransdell
of Louisiana, through the Senate in
record time. 1T was eventually lost
in the House on account of the OPP
position of the exchanges and repre-
sentatives from states producing cow
grade cotton who expressed fear that
under the Conner amendment there
would be no market for their
products.
Senator Conner was most vigorous
in his speeches defending his amend
ment. and in frequent clashes with
Senator Ransdell, intimated pointed
ly that the exchanges of New Or
leans constituted an environment
which the Louisiana senator could
not resist. Like Senator Dial, Sena-
tor Conner declared that the ex-
changes under existing law were
robbing the poor" farmer of the
south, and that the adoption of~his
amendment would increase the price
of cotton. and confer a practical
boon on the man who caused it to
sprout from the ground.
Returned Adverse Report.
The Senate committee on agricul-
ture which considered the Dial
amendment returned 1t with ah adj
verse report So-called cotton"
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