The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-30
By Jay LoUestone

1 lars, the lin Plate trust, subsidiary
of the United States Steel Corpora
/ ton, is a monument to LaFollette's
| progressivism on the tariff.
Then, when the Payne Aldrich Ia
riff Bill was being considered, La
Toilette put up an aggressive fight to
secure an amendment ito enable the
mills now manufacturing print paper
| in Wisconsin to so adjust themselves
with respect to the manufacture Of
paper not requiring spruce wood, that
they could manufacture it economic
ally without changing the location of
those plants"
! LaFollette has always been loyal
defender of the zinc interests in his
state. On June 18th, 1909, LaFollette
made special plea to the senate to
lay duty on zinc biased on the diff
ference in the cost of production in
this country and Mexico a pro-
tective duty measuring the difference
between the cost of production in Mex
leo and in Wisconsin and in Joplin as
well. :"
Though LaFollette made a strong
plea for a higher duty on zinc than
that fixed by the house and higher
duty than that submitted by the SEN
ate committee, he asked that he be
excused from voting because Of his
own property interest in zinc. Several
years later appearing before the COM
mittee conducting hearings on the
Maintenance of a Lobby to Influence
Legislation, LaFollette made an in
teresting confession explaining why
he refused to ote on the higher tariff
rates on zinc, and why he spoke for
it. He said in part:
81 own an interest in some zinc
bearing lands in Southwestern Wis
consin" l ought perhaps to say that
when the tariff on zinc was under con-
sideration, four years ago, felt as
one Of the Senators representing the
state of Wisconsin in which are To-
Gated about three counties producing
zinc and lead that it was my duty to
present to the senate the arguments
that it seemed to me should be made
from their standpoint While my in
terest in the matter was such that
wanted to be excused from voting
on the amendment relating to this
subject, felt that those l represented
were entitled to have the argument
presented and so l made on the floor
of the senate what might be called
an argument to influence action upon
the question" pages 190-191)
Scrutinizing the various votes on
the emergency tariff, (H. R. 15275,)
we find that the Wisconsin Senator
voted to change the tariff on wheat
from thirty to forty cents, for two
cents per pound on frozen meat, the
Smoot amendment for tariff on sugar
and molasses, a duty Of eight cents
per pound on butter and substitutes
land tariff on condensed milk. - Mr.
LaFollette is also recorded as voting
in favor Of the passage OF the bin as
a whole. True, these rates were not
as high as the ones he voted for in the
Mckinley Bill, yet LaFollette's votes
indicate that he believes in a tariff to
protect the business interests OF the
country.
Progressive Group shoddy
Senator LaFolIette is noted for his
ability to fillibuster. On several 90
casions, in the Senate, LaFollette has
held up various measures by his abili.
ty to talk the proposals OF his COZ
legues Of the opposition to death.
Last June LaFollette had anopportun-
ity to prevent the Coolidge machine
from adjourning Congress without be-
ing forced to expose its unwillingness
and incompetency to meet the needs
and demands OF the bankrupt farming
masses. But LaFollette refused to
exercise his flllibustering skill. which
in this instance would have struck a
damaging blow at the reacfionarfaa