The Washington times., 1929-09-13
S TYPE
DIVIDES z
FACTIONS


competitive tariff. =
This was the issue drawn in
the Senate today between the
Republican organization and
the Democratic -Insurgent coali-
,tion in their warfare over the
Administrations new tariff
bill.
The Republicans fought for tariff
rates high enough to protect"
American industry and agriculture
against cheap foreign importations.
The coalition battied for rates only
high enough to match the difference
in cost OF production at home and
abroad. This issue was laid down
in the opening statements of oppos-
ing leaders
The Democratic days of free
trading" and tariff for revenue
only" were cast in the limbo of for.
gotten things The theory of
competitive tariff" once upon a
time the exclusive doctrine Of Re-
publicans, was accepted by Senator
Simmons CD.). of North Carolina.
minority tariff leader. He declared
his party had changed its tariff
stand since the days of Cleveland
and Bryan and that now the doc
trine of a Competitive tariff" was
the law of the party"
Republicans Amazed
The sponsors of the Administra'
publican leaders, who were prompt
to charge the Democrats with a
- = NS
also raised their protective tariff
flags, asserting a competitive
tariff" which merely met differences
in cost of production, was worth
less in the modern industrial and
economic world. American manu-
facturers must be protected enough,
they added, to guarantee them
American markets--any other pro-
lection will be insufficient.
This pronouncement amazed Re
tion's new bill came under fire from
two directions, even as the Demo
Gratis embraced the tariff doctrine.
First. a group of industrialis:s,
headed by the prominent William
Grundy, of Pennsylvania. called
upon the Republican tariff leaders
with a complaint that the Senate
industrial rates were far too low.
AssaiI Protection"
Sharpshooters from the Demo
cratic-Insurgent coalition simultane
ously assailed the protection" given
agriculture in the new bill. After
Senator Smoot R.) of Utah, admitted
that some of the farm product duties
were useless paper rates" Senator
George Cd OF Georgia, charged the
hill would damage agriculture by
increasing the cost of living to
farmers while giving them no addi
tional benefits in the sale of their
crops. George blames the plight
of agriculture on the high level of
prices in the American market. due
to Republican tariff protection, while
farmers are forced to sell their
products virtually at cost.
Senator Blaine (R.l of Wisconsin,
also assailed the new bill as certain
to raise the cost of living, to farm
ers. He said the steel rates in the
new measure would increase the
cost of farm machinery by $780,
100000 a year and the cost of
operating railroads by $500, 900 900
year, with resulting increase in
freight rates. Farmers. he said,
would have to pay the burden Of
both increases.
Attracts Attention
The Simmons speech, however,
attracted the most attention. The
veteran North Carolina statesman
upheld the tariff doctrine ex-
pounded by Governor Alfred e.
Smith in the last presidential cam
paign--a doctrine that never has
been popular with the Southern
leaders who opposed him for the
nomination. 1t really marked a
new era in tariff legislation and a
vast change from the days when
Republicans pleaded for a "competi-
tive tariff" while Democrats de-
manded free trade" or a tariff
for revenue only"
Senator Watson R.) of Indiana.
the majority leader, hailed Sim
mons speech as an amazing de-
parture in tariff theories by the
Democratic party"
Cites Old Bill
There is no more striking Illus.
tration of this fact that the tariff
bill. bearing the honored name of
Senator Simmons and known as
the nderWood-Slmm0ns bill. which
placed practically all agricultural
products on the free list and re-
duced the rates on manufactured
products far below the competitive
standard Senator Simmons now ad-
vocates. This is a startling repudia.
ton of all past Democratic plat.
forms, barring the Smith platform
of 1928. and while the Senator does
not by any chance embrace the pro-
teetive tariff principle. he does
abandon in its entirety the uII-
varying tariff policy of the Demo-
cratic party for the last 70 years"
Al half dozen more speeches, sx.
panding upon the theories of tariff
protection were anticipated before
the Senate gets down to voting upon
the bill. Under an agreement al
ready made. the administrative
features will be considered and the
battle lines will clash first on the
flexible provision, giving presidents
the power to raise or lower rates.
All Democratic spokesmen have at.
tackled this provision. indicating a
determined fight to strike it from
the bill