Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-09
SUGAR DUTY ROW
PUTS TARIFF BACK
IN POLITICAL RING
BY ROBERT u. SMALL

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-Events
| in the past few days in Washington
have dashed the hopes Of Amerl-
can business men that the tariff
ever can. be taken out Of politics.
| 1t is once more a political football
and promises q continue so to the
| end.
| The Republicans in the last con-
| gresS wrote the so-called flexible"
| provisions into the Fordney-McCum-
| Der tariff act with the idea of giving
| a Scientific" flavor to the various
| imposts. The president was author
| lied to lower or raise the existing
rates as much as so per cent, if ad-
| Visable, in order to equal any change
in the cost of production of protect
ed articles at home and abroad. rms
action was to be predicated upon a
| finding of the tariff commission,
| composed of six members. The tar
| iff ComnoiSslon was supposed to be
a fact-findiog body without polltl-
cal prejudice Of any sort, but com
| posed nevertheless of members OF
the two old parties.
The actual working of the law, es-
! pecially with reference to the sugar
| schedule, which row is storm cen
| ter, has proved to be anything bit
| 'sciart!fic.' The tariff commission
! has split along partisan lines. 1t
| has differed ON what figures should
| be obtained, bow they should be OBJ
tanned, and wnat they would repre-
sent after beng Obtained.
Leaders at Odds
The "scientifiC" discussions with
| in sc u n
stopped just short of Marquis of
| Queens berry rules. The chairman
of the mrission, Mr.. Marvin, and
| the vice chairman, Mr.. Culbertson,
! have been particularly at outs. Their
! relations have been those of two
| bulldogs meeting as perfect stranS-
| ers.
| 1t was not surprising, therefore,
! that two totally opposite reports
We're submitted to the president. Nor
| will it be surprising if the president,
! fully informed of the manner in
which the sugar investigation was
| conducted and the reports arrived
! at, either sends them back to the
commission or discards them alto
gether and bases his ultimate con-
illusions on personal inquiries, made
with the help of trea sGry and de-
partment of commerce officials.
President Coolidge has let it be
| known again It this time that he is
firmly committed to the policy of
a sufficiently protective tariff He
also has let it be known that he is
a man whose political views do not
change with the shifting winds and,
J therefore, his tariff ideas are not in
for any sort of reformation during
| the coming campaign, or in the
next administration, should he he
| elected. Mr.. Coolidge in maintain
ing the high tariff principle, feels
| he is amply supported by the party
! platform adopted at Cleveland.
The president regards the TARIFF
/ q $ an inevitable issue Of the cam
paign and is said to welcome it.
! Senator La Toilette has chosen to
! deliver the first blow at the tariff
and has promised TO keep the hot
| shot pouring at the Republican de
! lenses from now until election dav.
! Although efforts have been made
| to show the Progressive candidate
| that the sugar tariff is essentially
a farmer tariff, designed to protect
the American growers of cane and
| suger beets against the competition
of cheaper labor in Cuba, Senator
| 1t Follette says he Will not LET ND
but will fight the sugar schedule
! to a finish.
Davis View Awaited
Mr.. Davis elucidat ton of his own
| tariff views and his Interpretation of
| the party platform adopted at Mad
lson Square Garden, are awaited
with unusual interest. In an ad.
dress TO his fellow West Nirginians
at the time they first indorsed him
Tor the presidency, Mr. Davis stated
that he believed in a "competitive
tariff which should also produce
ample revenues" for the govern.
ment. The party platform also calls
Tor tariff which would permit
american competition with the other
countries of the world. The phras SO
competitive tariff" has been grow.
ms IN favor in Democratic circles
during the past few years.
But how to make A tariff Conn.
petltlNe' or flexible" when a sun
posedly Scientific" commission d.
Vldes itself sharply along poljtica1
| HheS and resorts to political reason.
"lS ana arguments, is the problem
"nlch contronts the law makers.
II was easy enough for the com
mission to agree upon a higher dJtv
on on Wheab at a time when compare.
'iVeIy HltIe wheat was coming into
A.leTlca and the grain elevators OF
; tuIo country were filled to overflow.
tnS. NO American interest was af
| lected by the change. Neither was
;le price OF wheat. But with sugar
IL is different. Most OF tho sIIoa,
consumed in this country is irnnorfad
IN lne raw state from Cuba and re.
Ilned along the Atlantic coast. The
retlners have millions Of dollars il.
vested and are behind the move to
lower the import rates on raw smear
Inc cane growers and beet farmers
Say theY would be wiped out if
proper protection is removed. Sugar
10 me one great commodity which if
- cidined could be raised in Amer.
'Cd Out ism I. The interests on both
| sues OF the question are intense
ana hence the sugar schedule al
| ways has been one of the most con.
tfoVersial in a tariff measure.
resident Coolidge has no easv
TASK on his hands. but it is exnec+eG
the farmers and farm organizat ionS
VIII Hook to his support. Fortunate
~ Tor the president. and the tariff
aaFocateS, the price of sugar is lower
tna7 It has been in two wears and
mere has come no insistent demand
from the public
W hat is to be the worlds largest
arCh bridge. costing more than sf5.-
VpV'uoo' VIII be constructed across
me harpor at Sydney, Australia.
Cannlba1s recently discovered IN
New Guinea are reported by an OK.
n hly