Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-04-11
Tariff In Conferences.

The tariff now in conference between the
House and the Senate is denounced by its
opponents as "the worst bill in the history
Of tariff legislation" and has been widely
criticized by the press. including some lead
Ing Republican papers. The Boston Tran
script. mouthpiece Of New England Repub-
licanism calls on the President to veto 1t.
Opponents of the bill insist that any
benefits given agriculture have been Offset
BY increased industrial rates and that the
Improvements in the bill by the Democratic
and Progressive Republican Senate coali-
tion have been largely nullified by the
increase brought about on sugar, lumber,
cement and other articles by what was
known as the Grundy combination. led by
Senator Grundy. Republican OF Pennsylva-
mia. who 10 charged with having been the
chief lobbyist Of the bill through the House
before his appointment to the Senate THE
farmer will continue to pay through his
nose" they say.
Some Of the indictments brought against
the bill are:
Thatit is betrayal Of the platform pledges
Of both parties to establish agricultural
parity with industry and has widened the
discrimination between them.
That Il will add billion dollars to the
present tariff taxes.
That IL increases the tariff on most
necessities that enter into the cost Of living
housing. food and clothes.
That IL increases the cost Of production
70 many manufacturers by taxing materials
that enter into their products and that
the increased costs will be passed on to the
purchasers.
The details Of these charges are found in
the changes that have been made in the
rates OF the existing tariff act-admlltedly
high:
The bill as it came from the House made
045 increases in the present rates and
only 80 reductions.
The Senate Democratic Progressive Re-
publican coalition reduced these increases
to $40 and made 202 reductions.
The equivalent ad valorem rates In the
House bill were 4315 per cent as compared
with the existing tariff act Of 34.6l per cent
and the Democratic tariff Of 1918 OF 2i08
per cent.
The equivalent ad valorem rates in the
Senate bill as passed are 38.99 per cent
higher than the existing law and much
higher than the Democratic tariff Of 1918.
The increased rates on food products in
clude live cattle. dressed meats. fresh veee-
tables. fruits. nuts. dairy products. eggs
live oil. etc. Tariff duties on exportable
agriculture products like wheat and other
cereals are regarded as paper tariff" and
ineffective.
The increased duties on clothing are on
wool. wooden rags (frcm which cheap cloth
10 made). WOODEN cloths and fabrics. cotton
fabrics. hats. gloves. and some other arti-
cles Of wearing apparel. Shoes remain on
the free list. but more than so articles that
enter into their manufacture have been
given increased duties.
As affecting housing costs. the bill in
creases the tariff on lumber. cement. brick.
wall board. wall paper, paint. hardwood
Aooring tiles and minor items reflected in
the cost Of home building and rentals
There is also increased duty on furniture
II 10 estimated that il will take from
TO 9 weeks to get the bill out If conference
and act upon II finally