Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-27
TARIFF is WRITTEN
!. FOR AGRICULTURE,
SMOOT DECLARES
Quotes Statistics in Defense
of Measure Today in
Senate.
POINT OF ORDER RAISED
ON FLEXIBLE PROVISION
Barley Contends Conferees Elk.
ceeded Authority in Drafting
Clause-Contest Deferred.
BY the Associated Press.


A democratic point of order against
the new flexible provision of the tariff
bill was raised today as Senator Smoot
laid the final draft of the measure be-
fore the Senate with a lengthy defense
Of its provisions.
Senator Barley, q member Of the
finance committee, made the point of
order. contending the conferees had ex.
ceeded their authority in formulating
the new flexible clause authorizing the
Tariff Commission to change statutory
duties subject to approval or disap-
proval OF the President within so DAYS.
Debate on the challenge was deferred
and Senator Smoot entered upon a
long defense Of the bill.
Promise Other Contests.
While the flexible provision is en-
braced in the supplemental conference
report submitted to the Senate yester-
day, Senator Barley served notice he
also would raise points of order against
the original report already approved by
the House.
He did not say what duties he would
contest, but it is believed they will be
rayon, cherries, cheese and watches,
Vice President Curtis ruled a point
of order could be made against any part
OF the two reports before the final vote.
II ne SuStainS any one of them, the
Dill would have to be returned to con-
terence between the two houses,
Final action on the conference re-
portS IN the Senate Is not expected be-
fore next week.
Calling up the conference report to-
day, Senator Smoot quoted statistics to
snow the measure was written primarily
for agriculture.
Based on 1928 import values. he said
It would bring in revenue amounting to
$3.50, 456 ,280, against 1922, 649, 1888 under
tne present law, an increase of SLOT.
806,897.
ON the basis of actual experience in
1925" the finance COMMITTEES chairman
said, lit is evident that protective rates
to agriculture have been increased four
times as much as the protective rates to
industry as whole"
Does Not Prejudice Pay Rolls"
"The bill stand on its merits in APP
pearing Tor final vote" he continued.
adding that it goes as far as it Is nos
.sible to do in protecting agriculture In
lts nome market and yet not prejudice
the industrial pay rolls which are such
an important factor in the size and
proitablenesS of that home market"
Defects which have become apparent
In the tariff act of 1922, owing to
changes in competitive conditions he
said, have been "remedied" in the bill,
Smoot said the bill carried 88s in.
creased rates and 235 decreases, with
ifnr0NC q
to the free list, and 48 articles taken
from the free to the protective category.
The average ad valorem equivalent Of
all existing levies was placed at 1922
per cent and those of the bill at 40.08
per cent, an increase of 6.86 per cent.
Tariff Body Table Cited.
A table prepared by the tariff COM
mission was cited to show that SO per
cent OF the total estimated increase in
revenues would result from the higher
rates on agricultural raw materials.
Imports Of agricultural raw materials
were valued at $512, 450,270 in 1928, the
duties amounting to S195,235,834 or
1910 per cent, Smoot said. The bill
would raise the duties to $3.50, 688, 224, or
1892 per cent, an increase over the law
of 1882 per cent
Imports of manufactured products
made from agricultural raw materials,
were valued at $183 ,062, 487 in 1928, with
duties of $66,176,6 GOT or 36.15 GER cent.
The bill, 1t was estimated, would boost
the revenues to $89,472 900, with an
average ad valorem of $4887, or an in
crease of 1912 per cent,
The purely protective elements" of
the increases in rates on processed farm
products, however, was estimated to
have been raised only $50 per cent over
the existing law and the compensatory
elements" 14.11 per cent.
The protective rates on all industrial
products, irrespective of the kind of
raw materials used, were estimated to
have been raised from 29.42 per cent
under existing law to 31.79 per cent
under the bill, an increase of 2.37 per
cent.
OF the 1918 named items and basket
clauses in the bill, Smoot said, mo
rate changes were made in ALTO or
nearly 68 per cent" In the present
law there are 1880 items and basket
paragraphs.
Analysing the sugar schedule, Smoot
said the net result Of the increases
as compared with $118,572, 109 in 1928,
an increase of $50 per cent
Approves Sugar Rates.
The higher sugar levies are primarily
IN the interest of the sugar beet growers
of the Middle, Central and Far West"
Smoot asserted, adding, mo one need
feel concerned with respect to the
increased duties on sugars"
Nearly all Of the beetS are grown on
irrigated FARMS" he said Sugar beetS
are staple crop of high value per acre,
marketed close to the farms, and con-
Stitute the sheet anchor of irrigated
agriculture in the present development
Of the United States"
In the agricultural schedule alone
the increases in rates were placed at
$50 and the decreases 90. The ad
equivalents of the increases
was estimated at "a per cent, as against
1896 per cent in existing law, an In
crease of 14.l4 per cent.
CAN of these increases are rnerited In
view of the competitive situation"
Smoot said, land were granted in the
interest OF the farmers, whose postwar
prosperity has been hindered in i'm
portant domestic areas by worldwide
and low prices for farm
products"
The transfer of long staple cotton
from the free to the dutiable list at
cents pound was described as vital
to the domestic producers of that type
Of cotton and should add largely to
return from farming in numerous areas
OF the South and Southwest"
Opposition of a most determined ma.
ture came from the Democrats and in