Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-08-23
Friday MOrning......"August %. 1922,
Back To Extortionate Tariff Rates

Whenever the Republicans Of the Senate
Finance Committee begin to yield to the
pressure Of popular indignation in the di-
rection of moderating the larcenies con-
templated under the Hawley tariff bill,
the prospective benefciaries of that meas
ure figuratively take them by the ear and
lead them back to the higher duties.
Nationwide protests against the fat
increases in the sugar rates which. accord
ing to Senator Borah's figures. would make
the American people pay $l50.000,000
more than they are paying now to content
comparatively few beet sugar men whose
combined output supplies only one-fifth of
the sugar used in the United States, forced
Senator Smoot to back away from those
rates and suggest sliding scale, which,
he indicated. had President Hoover's ap-
proval.
Senator Harrison. OF Mississippi, Senator
Simmons. Of North Carolina, and other
Democratic members of the Finance Com
mittee promptly demonstrated that the
sliding scale was geared to slide only one
way-upward by a more devious
process mulcted the people as effectively
and as largely as did the Hawley rate.
The exposure was SO complete that Smoot
precipitately abandoned his slippery expe-
dent and came back to the original plan
of extortion.
The only Republican Senator who had
the hardihood to advocate openly Shoots
position was Thomas. the Republican Sena-
tor from Idaho, who boldly declared that
the increased rates would be absorbed by
the manufacturers and importers without
any perceptible increase in the cost to the
consumers. The righteousness of the argu-
ment that the consistent mixers of the
tariff COW would themselves pay the $443,-
100000, which represents the total of the
proposed sugar rates, needs no comment.
The inevitable result of tariff rates, par
ticularly where the bulk OF the product
consumed comes from overseas, Is to raise
the cost to the American user of the CON-
modify The consumer pays more than
the tariff, for the producer figures in the
tariff rate as part Of his production cost
and so pyramids his profits.
For time it looked as If the twin ex-
amples of tariff extortion-sugara and boots
and shoes-had been scotched, but again
it is perceived that the manufacturers have
put on the screws and that the Republi.
cans are being held to their ubiquitous
campaign bargains. 1t was reported or
Monday, August, 18th. that boots ant
shoes were aeain off the free list and thai
there ~0uid be imposed on them "c0mpen
saiory duties" for a l0-cent-a pound rate
OF row hides gis Of coufs nnde
the head q "fafa. ulsf Under IL th'
average farmer viii sg 81 s year assd
tionai for the skins VI the cows lac send
TO the butcher and will pay from SIS to Sl(
extra for the shoes he and his family ~ea.
and probably good deal more for tn
harness he uses.
The vicious twins will be triplets If tn
Democrats and the Republican Progressive
are not able to stop the raid for recen
disclosure Of the proceedings of the secre
sessions Of the Republican members Of tn
Finance Committee reveals that mos
statesmen bav. 4rafeiplied by more tina
tl.cse times the Hawley rate of liz cent
on wool rags and other forms Of wool waste
These products 90 into the making Of tn
cheaper grade of clothing. The purpos
of course. is to force greater consumptio
of the higher priced clothing made frol
virgin WOOL
Senator David |. Walsh. Of Massacht
sets. told what the effect of the late,
extortion would be on one of the larg,
industries of his State. He said:
This is shocking example of viii
special interests are trying to do with tn
tariff. In a vain attempt to compel II
use Of pure wool and eliminate substitute
of all kinds. the Republicans are willing
wipe out an entire industry The shodd
mills of New England, which are centra
lied in the Blackstone Valley, have bull
up profitable business over the last Gel
tury. producing cheaper grades of clothr
fabric. This goes into suits selling f
about $40. They are cheap clothes, b.
they are all the poor man can afford
purchase, and there is no justification 4
taking them away from him.
THE raw material for this industry come
from the northern countries of Europ
where people have been wearing woole
clothes for centuries. They are worn In
rags, they are fumigated, sent to AmeriC
and are revoked and then mixed with co
ton to make these suitngs. The z l-2 Gel
rate Of the present law cannot be defendt
on the ground of competition, for the d
nestle output is negligible compared vii
the importations of l00.000.000 pound
In the last seven years the shoddy industl
has had trouble enough meeting the l.
cent tax.
MY files are checked with letters
these manufacturers protesting again
the 7 l-2 cent duty and asking decreas
But when they are informed that they mu
pay three times that much for their ra
material. they will throw up their hands
despair"
While the tariff terror purposes to keep
prosperity one minor group-the beet suet
people-it finds no difficulty in using Il
same process to squeeze another group
the behest Of crowd with greater pull Q
the administration.
1t is not unlikely that the shoddy raj
will take rank in the history of America
tariff making with the famous "Schedu
X" which wrecked the tariff administratio
twenty years ago.
Under the auspicies Of the Capital Vie
Citizens Association, a bronze tablet on II
bridge recently erected over the BaltimoI
and Ohio Railroad tracks at Capital View 0
Wednesday Of last week was dedicated |