The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1929-06-05
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1929.
THE NEW TARIFF

THE NEW TARIFF
The more one studies the new tariff bill,
passed by the House Tuesday, the more evident
must it become that the measure is rank betray-
al of the confidence of the public and of Presi-
dent Hoover. The betrayal is particularly nag
rant in it's relation to the agricultural sections
of the country.
The outstanding issue in the last campaign
was the question of farm relief, and the Repub-
lcan party pledged it's earnest efforts to this &C
complishment. Chief among the measures Of re-
lief promised was an adjustment of tariff rates
which would place agriculture as nearly as pos
sible on parity with industry.
President Hoover endorsed this program and
pledged his aid. Immediately upon assuming office
he carried out this pledge by calling a special
session of congress to enact the necessary legis-
lation, part of which was revision of the tar
Tiff in the interest of agriculture He specifically
stated in his message to congress that changes
in other than agricultural schedules should be
limited and confined only to such industries as
were suffering from unemployment through
foreign competition. Mr.. Hoover kept his pledge
and the pledge of the Republican party to the
people to the best of his ability.
But instead of limiting tariff revision to the
agricultural schedules and the few industries suf-
fering from foreign competition, the Ways and
Means committee of the House, dominated by
the industrial East, proceeded to rewrite the en-
tire Fordney- cCumber Act revising rates up
ward in practically every schedule of the present
law. AS result instead of placing agriculture
on an equality with industry in tariff protection,
the new bill actually widens the disparity which
has heretofore existed.
Defenders of the new bill talk volubly of
the increase rates provided for agriculture, and
it is not to be denied that substantial increases
are given. In fact, there is not much cause for
complaint insofar as the rates on agriculture
products are concerned. 1t was not to be expect
ed that agriculture would get everything that
was asked, and the new rates provided substan-
tial increases on the majority of all farm pro-
ducts
But the benefits from such increases are
more than Offset by the increased rates granted
the manufacturers on the things which the farm
er must buy thereby leaving the farmer at a
greater disadvantage than he is under the pre-
sent tariff law. Instead of the new bill increasing
the purchasing power of the farmers dollar it
will materially lower it.
The case of hides, leather, harness, boots
and shoes offers typical illustration, all of
which are now on the free list under the Fordney-
McCumber law. In the new bill the duty on hides
is liked at 10 per cent; on harness, Is per cent;
on boots an shoes, 20 per cent, and on leather
from l21s to 35 per cent. The benefit to the
average farmer from the duty on hides, regard
less to the disparity indicated in the rates quot
ed, will be negligible, but under the yuse of aid
ing the farmer by such tariff duty the cost of
harness, leather, boots and shoes, of which the
farmer is large purchaser, is given tremend-
Gus boost.
FROM the viewpoint of the effect of the bill
as whole it is vicious and indefensible This
is true not alone in its relation to the farmer,
but also in relation to the general consumer.
Under it the position of the farmer is not inn
proved because the increased duties on the things
ne must buy are greater than the benefits he
will receive from the increased duties provided
on the things he sells, while the consumer will
have to bear the burden of the increases given
agriculture as well as industry.
The only ray of hope found in the whole
miserable mess lies in the fact that the bill will
be completely rewritten in the Senate This will
give opportunity to correct at least the most
glarlng nJustlces and every possible effort should
be directed towards this ccomplishment.-Roclx
County Herald.
CHAINS VS.. INDEPENDENTS
That progressive independent merchants
need not worry very much over chain store COM
petition, is the conclusion drawn by Ruth Hoad-
ley of the University of Iowa department of
business research, following survey which dis.
closed that Ga firms are operating more than
one store in Iowa from outside central offices
and that 1853 retail companies have headquarters
in Iowa.
Among the methods used by Independents il
their battle with chain stores, states Miss Hoad.
lev. ar: Installation of union delivery system; pro
lection against bad credit losses by use of gen
eral credit file; adoption of the chain store meth