Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15
VOTES SHOW c. OPP.
SECURED TARIFF
BalIoting Principally Along
Party Lines, But Con-
StituenCy Shows.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The Republican party is still the party
of protection. though with weakened
strength, while the Democratic party
In the United States Senate still re-
mains true to It's traditional hostility to
a high tariff.
Out of the ~ votes recorded in favor
of the Hawley -Smoot bill In the Senate,
all but came from the Republican
side. And Of the votes cast against the
bill, all but IL came from the Demo
cratic side.
This preponderance of Democratic
votes against the measure is taken 10
mean that the Ave Democrats who
helped to pass the bill will not be re-
garded as typical of the party's posi-
ton.
Thus. for instance, the two Senators
from Louisiana, the two Senators from
Florida and the single Democratic Sem
ator from Wyoming have always been
known as protectionists because OF the
demands of their constituencies, The
Senators from Louisiana departed from
the Woodrow Wilson position on the
tariff because of an insistence on pro-
lection for sugar. The Florida Senator's
naturally are vigilant with respect 10
citrus fruits, and the Wyoming Senator
Is deeply interested in seeing that the
wool industry is served because Of the
large sheep ranches in his State.
Financial Interests Fight.
Analysing the vote. it Is interesting
to see how many Democrats who voted
for high duties in particular schedules
were recorded against the whole bill on
final passage. This, the Republican
party charges, does not absolve the
Democrats from responsibility. Never
theleSS, when the final count was made
and the tally showed A In favor and
~ against, change Of votes would
have defeated the bill. There was no
certainty until the last minute that
some shift might not be made.
An extraordinary amount Of interest
surrounded the voting because OF the
distinct sentiment coming from New
York and Chicago financial districts
urging that the bill be killed. This
same pressure now will be exerted 70
persuade President Hoover to write
veto.
But the President is committed Just
as were the members Of the Senate TO
some form Of tariff legislation when
once the legislative ball starts rolling
Had the business interests OF the coun-
try made their protests vocal three
months ago, before the bill went to con-
ference, it could easily have been buried
IN the Senate. But not until nearly
every Senator had committed himself
in some way on tariff revision-and a
large number had expressed themselves
in favor of ibid the opposition really
start, and then 1t was difficult for Sem
ators to reverse themselves
Hoover Approval Expected,
Nobody wanted to assume the respon-
sibility for killing the bill, particularly
since the pressure for tariff protection
was coming from agricultural regions.
It is significant. however that on final
passage many OF the Senators from ae-
ricultural States voted against the bill.
including Senator Borah OF Idaho who
was originally insistent that a special
session be called to pass a tariff bin TO
protect agricultural products.
The general feeling is that President
Hoover will take few days only to px
anime the bill, but that he will sign It
with message of protest expressing
his dispieasure of things that have crept
into the measure which are contrary
to sound public policy, especially in the
possible injury of foreign trade. But
that is what always happens whenever
the tarih is open wide for revision.
tCopyright, 1p30D