The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-24
The Tariff Got Him


American manufacturers grow fabby under eX-
cessiye tariff protection. That has been sald IN one
way and another by many persons worth listening to-
said Henry Ford: Comfortably tucked away be-
hind a tariff wall which completely shut out all COM
petition and which gives industry an undue proht
which it has not earned, the business OF our country
would grow soft and negectful. We need competl-
ton to keep toes an dto sharpen our WIS
Said Alvan Macauley, manufacturer of the Pack
ard car: Manufacturers are opposed to any tarin
which serves simply a subsidy to the progressive
manufacturer who would prefer government aid OF
this character to undertaking the trouble necessary
to improving his methods lowering his costs ana
so benehting industry and the public generally"
So much for the effect of tariff greed upon those
who obtain excessive protection.
Now for the effect upon those who provide this
excessive protection.
It is even more disastrous. Statesmen who once
start upon this path find it has no end. They hnd
the tariff appetite grows with what it feeds upon
Ijk she drug habit they can quiet. its addcts only
with more drugs-more tariffs.
And it drags its purveyorS down with It,
The tariff-takers have held political power of two
kinds. one direct and the other indirect They have
been able always to supply campaign funds to can
didates No other source of such funds has been SO
~0---O
in tariff benefits.
Indirect power has rested the fiction, long
believed that high tariffs high wages-that the
kind manufacturer passes the benefit along TO MS
employees. That fiction has meant votes.
The tariff benefciaries have had the power to
reward and to punish at least they have caused
statesmen to think so. Tuesday in Pennsylvania the
best little tariff booster of them all was given cause
to doubt this Grundy, himself, failed to get his
reward.
But the fear of the tariff beggars still chils the
hearts of many statesmen in washington.
There is Dill. senator from Washington state.
Probably no better example of what the tariff does
to men can be obtained among all the pltltu spec
tacles seen in the national capital
Duls life story reads like volume by Horatlo
Alger-or a success yarn in American Magazine. AS
a small boy on poverty-stricken Ohio farm, he de-
clared his ambition to go to congress He never osC
sight of that goal He obtained his political training
under Tom johnson, Clevelands famous progressive
mayor
At Johnsons suggestion he went west to grow up
with the country and it from the state OF wash
ineton that he entered congres-a progressive Demo-
Graf and the Youngest member of the lower house.
He remained steadfast to his principles during the
terrific stress of the World war. He cast an anti
war vote when he knew it meant his defeat for re-
slection. But he came back to Washington in due
time and as member of the upper house. He has
remained there making a creditable record.
The tariff battle came and Dll's political prin-
cnles went overheard. Lumber is his states biggest
industry and the umbermen yelped loudly for protec-
ton Even the house. willing to protect almost any
thing, gagged at this.
Dill decided to heed the yelp. When the bill
reached the senate he helped protect lumber, which
the house had left on the free list. But that was
doubtful victory, because the house leaders were
exuected to remove the Dill rate when the bill went
to conference committee
Meanwhile the senate voted to curb the power
given bv the house TO the President to alter rates.
majority of the senate, and Dill was one OF them.
held this to be unsound. if not actually unconst-
tutional
The senate-house conference committee, to which
the bill presently sent for the adjustment OF
diderences sent this clause-commonly called the
flexible clause-back the senate for another vote
The result was tie. AZ to A. Vice-President
Curtis broke the tie by voting to allow the President
this vast power of taxation But it wasn't the Curtis
vote that was significant. It was the vote Of Sen
ator Dill.
Dnl shifted and voted for the Presidents flexible