Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-04
The Tariff Bill.

Witnesses who appear before the Sen
ate finance committee to urge in
creases In tariff duties or lower duties
than those provided in the Hawley bill
must do so In public. This is the de-
cision Of the Senate finance committee,
forced by a combination Of Republican
progressives and Democrats. 1t was
foregone conclusion that if the matter
were carried to the floor of the Senate,
the committee would be compelled to
make the hearings on the pending tariff
bill public. One more step has been
taken there to bring about publicity Of
public business, in which the people
have a direct interest.
It is well understood that many de-
mandS have been made already upon
the Senate finance committee for In
creases in rates of duty over those pro-
vided in the Hawley bill, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the bill has been at
tackled in many quarters on the ground
that it has Unfortunately increased some
Of the rates and that its enactment
into law will be followed by an increase
In the cost Of living. The charge is made,
also, that the increased duties in some
instances are not needed to protect
American industries against foreign
competition that these increases mere
" serve the purpose Of permitting an
increase in prices in the domestic mar
kets. The President himself is re-
ported to be scanning the bill carefully
and to be ready to veto the measure
II in his opinion 1t transcendS the Re-
publican platform and his campaign
pledges.
The country could we'll do without a
new tariff law rather than have one
written that does an injustice to the
people. The protective tariff system
has been a boon to American indus
tries and TO American labor. Under it
both have thrived and standards Of
living In this country for the workers
are higher than they have ever been in
the history Of the world. But that fact
does not justify excessive rates of duty
on articles that are used by the people,
many Of them necessities. There Is
reason to believe that mistakes have
been made in the House bill, with too
great increases. Possibly the Senate
will come to the aid Of the administra-
ton In this matter and force lower
rates. The difdculty, however, lies in
the log-rolling propensities Of the leg
islative bodies when It comes to writing
q tariff law. Combinations in support
of two or more duties are easily formed,
with q result that may The startiingly
unfair to the people. Many interests are
clemoring for tariff BENEFITS today and
they are not hesitating to demand ae-
ton from the Senator'S and Representa-
lives who represent their States and dis
tricts.
President Hoover has consistently
recommended a limited revision" Of
the tariff, particularly In the interest
Of the farmers. The limits have been
ignored very largely in the pending BILL
articles have been taken from the free
list and many duties have been in
creased, in some instances too greatly.
The Senate has an opportunity to right
these matters. II 1t does not and the
bin ID made more objectionable, execu-
tive disapproval would be applauded by
the country. The disaster to the Repub-
Iican party which followed in the wake
Of q too grasping tariff bill score Of
years ago has not yet been forgotten.
There Is to be congressional election
next year and there are members Of
Congress who would be glad to have
the President rescue them from their
own folly.