Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-11-25
Recommendations Repudiated.

The President 10 repudiatins the recon-
mendations for revision Of the tariff made
by the Business Men Commission, Of which
Chas. Naeel, Republican Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor in the Cabinet Of President
Taft, spoke the language and philosophy
of the tariff-protected manufacturer OF the
East who dominates and finances the Re-
publican party" declares Representative
Cordell Hull, member of the House Ways
and Means Committee and former Chair
man Of the Democratic National Committee
In effect, President Coolidge. by oppos-
ing any revision of the tariff. invites the
question whether. in his opinion, there
could ever be a situation in which he
would approve any revision Of the tariff or
any lowering Of the high tariff favors
which certain monopOlies. such as the
Steel Trust and Secretary Melons alumni
mum trust enjoy and under which they
are coming enormous dividends while,
business generally, as was declared at the
recent convention OF the National Manu-
facturers Association, held in Chattanooga
is at the most enjoying the doubtful
boon Of ''profitless prosperity" pros
perity under which they are producing,
but making little or no profit.
BY bis population Of the recommends
ton of the Business Mems Association,
the President has placed himself In a
rather embarrassing situation. This CON-
mission was appointed by the United
States Chamber of Commerce and the
National Industrial Conference TO study
the farm problem, and former Republican
Secretary Nseel was placed at its head.
II was supposed that when its report came
out, it would contain recommendations for
the solution of the farm problem which
business and financial interests would Ger
tainly approve. Indeed. sort Of semi
official status for the commission was
suggested by frequent references at the
the White House to the study this COM
mission was making and there were init
nations from that quarter that the COM
missions report would point a way to a
solution Of the distressing farm problem
which the President would approve.
When the report appeared, one Of its
major recommendations was TO equalize.
as between agriculture and manufacturing
industry. such benefits as the existing
protective tariff system can afford to both. '
with the further recommendation that PRO
tective policies which tend to place artif-
cial obstacles IN the way OF natural and
normal extension Of markets for American
farm products and which tend to increase
the domestic cost of their production
should be subjected to careful reconsidera-
tion with view to equalizine their effects.
The farmers have been demanding tariff
revision as a means Of solving the agri-
cultural problem, because they sell in the
open markets. but must buy in highly pro.
tected markets, thus getting lower prices
for their products, but paying increased
production costs. At their st. Paul con
ference last summer. tariff revision wa.
one of their major planks. and they de
clared for protection for all or protection
for none" When the great business in
terests Of the country, through the Mage
commission. Joined n recommending tarif
revision, as the farmers urged. NATURAL!
it was assumed a common ground hat
been found on which the farming. com
mercial and manufacturing interests coult
stand for the common good. But promptly
the President repudiated the plan. To him
an apostle Of prohibitive tariff, such
recommendation, especially made througl
prominent Republican. was heresy. Thu
it appears, tariff revision will be force
into the 1928 campaign as one Of tn
paramount issues.
In repudiatine the Nagel report. Repre-
sentative Hull said the President "unques
tionably was not speaking for or from tn
standpoint Of agriculture. because almos
every intelligent person agrees that asr
culture suffers enormously greater losse
than il derives benefits from tariffs. an
that the present Fordney system has cor
stituted the chief factor in the low-pric
level Of most farm products and the hieht
price level Of commodities the farmer mu.
purchase. Not more than fifteen per Ger
Of our population are the real beneficiarie
of existing high tariffs. while the hug
remainder are the victims. How long ca
this small but powerful group continue /
hold down the tariff lid by dominating tn
eastern wing Of the Republican party, an
through 1t the government