Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-05-17
SHIPSTEAD PROPOSES
MORE AID FOR FARMERS

The following remarks were made
recently in the United States senate,
by Senator Henrik Shipstead, in con-
nection with his proposal to increase
the tariff on rutabagas and potatoes,
and other agricultural products.
Mr.. SHIPSTEAD. Mr.. President, I
rise to question of personal privi-
lege. 1 desire to call the attention of
the Senate to an editorial appearing
in the Washington Post of this NOR
ming, and l ask unanimous consent
that it may be printed in the Secord
at the close of my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. With
out objection. it is so ordered.
Mr.. SHIPSTEAD. The editorial re-
fers to amendments proposed to the
revenue bill. An amendment was
presented by myself the other day pro-
posing to raise the tariff on certain
agricultural products. 1t is well
known that the Washington Post is
looked upon as spokesman for the
administration. In this editorial it is
intimated that a conspiracy has been
entered into to prevent the tax re-
duction bill from being passed. Among
other things. the editorial says:
The latest proposal
To hamper tax legislation, of
course
sponsored by Senator Shipstead. of Min
nesota. is evidently designed only as an
embarrassment.
AS a matter of fact, Mr.. President,
/ had not consulted any member of
the Senate about the submission of
the amendment. 1t was submitted at
the request of very many people in
Minnesota who are engaged in the Oc-
cupation of agriculture, who stated
that such products as potatoes and
rutabagas are forced down in price
because of the flow of similar agri-
cultural products into the Northwest
from Canada and that there are also
large importations of vegetable oils
which come in competition with our
dairy products.
1 resent the imputation that the
amendment was not offered in good
faith. The slogan of the Congress,
of the country, and of all political
parties has been that a parity shall
be established between agriculture
and industry. Congress has so far re-
fused, to reduce the tariff schedules
on manufactured products of industry,
and Congress will now have an oppor-
tunity to raise the tariff duties on
agricultural products to parity with
those on the products of industry.
The amendment was not submitted
for the purpose of hindering the pas
sage of the so-called tax bill, the rev.
enue measure. 1t is not true that it
was submitted as a result of any con-
spiracy of any member of Congress
with me to hamper the passage of
the tax bill. Farmers are not con-
cerned much with reduction of in
come taxes, because their income is
so small they do not pay this tax any
way. Has it come to pass that it is
considered to be antagonistic to Re-
publican administration to propose to
raise the tariff? Has it come to a
situation where a proposition to raise
the tariff is considered heretical doc
trine by Republican administration,
or is it only heresy when it applies to
agriculture? How do you know the
President will veto a bill increasing
the tariff on few agricultural pro-
ducts?
We know, and it is admitted by the
advocates of the McNary-Haugen bill,
that it would be worthless without a
tariff. 1t is hooked up with the tariff;
the very foundation of, it is the tariff.
1t will be ineffective and useless
without tariff schedules to protect
agriculture from the influx of agri-
cultural products, now amounting to
two and one-half billion dollars. So
even though Congress may pass the
McNary- Haugen bill, and the Presi-
dent may sign, the measure will to
large extent be useless unless tariff
schedules are raised on certain agri-
cultural products. Everyone who
knows anything about that subject at
all knows that
I wish again to say that it is an
unfair imputation to say that this
amendment was not submitted in good
faith. l have had correspondence
WIFI HuuuTeQS VI ldIlueIS Ill Mlule-
sofa who have asked for relief from
the influx of agricultural products into
the Northwest. I introduced the
amendment for them. The amend
ment, if adopted, would afford a
remedy and I am very much sur
prised that a Republican newspaper
should charge me with being sponsor
of an INSTRUMENTATION measure be-
cause 1 propose to raise the protect
i've tariff on agricultural products.
The editorial from the Washington
Post of April IS, 1928, which was
ordered printed in the Record, is as
follows:
TAX REDUCTION AND POLITICS
Tax reduction bids fair to meet
political death at the present session
of Congress. There are increasing signs
that enemies of the administration in