Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-01-09
GARNER STARTS
TARIFF FIGHT
Texas Scion Demands Equal
Benefits for Farmer
In House Bill
BY HARRY L. SEXTON

Ok IL.
CHICAGO, Jan, e-P-Worlc
forts Of Representative John N.
Garner. house minority leader, &c
form a coalition of democrats and
prosressives for the purpose of Sc
curing adjustment Of tariff dates
upon a basis which would assure
agriculture equal benefits with in
dustry, indicate that Eastern re-
publicans will encounter numerous
difficulties If they attempt in the
house to restore to the bill the dis
crimnatory rates eliminated by the
senate coalition.
In a recent interchange with Re
preventative Ranseyer of Iowa, the
minority leade revealed that the
program of the house democrats
proposed a vote on the rates writ
ten into the tariff bill by the Sc
nate coalition and to send TO con-
ference only the administrative pro-
visions.
IF the progressive republicans are
consistent in their declarations that
they favor rates which will assure
parity between agriculture and in
dustry. they should join with the
democrats In voting the senate rates
and sending to conference only the
administrative sections Of the tariff
BILL" the minority leader said.
Pronounced Step
The senate has not completed rs
work. but the agricultural rates
written into the bill by the senate
coalition make it obvious that while
the measure may be far from per-
feet it is the most pronounced step
ever taken toward securing for agri-
culture some measure of benefit
through tariff legislation"
Asserting that 1t had been the
campaign years and TO vote ad-
ditional tariff favors for industry
whenever adjustment OF tariff rates
was under confederation, the
minority leader declared 1T Is the
5uty of the progressive republicans
20 take advantage Of this opportuni-
" to render a service Of inestima-
able value TO agriculture
Il believe the progressive repub-
licans are sincere in their declara-
tons that the burdens OF agricul-
ture must be reduced; that the Haw-
ley bill is not representative OF the
interests OF agriculture; but the
trouble with many Of them is that
their devotion 90 the republican
party is stronger than their devo-
ton to the farmer. II they favor
equitable tariff rates they should
have no hesitatancy IN going on re-
cord. Voting the rates will limit the
work Of the conference 10 the ad-
ministrative provisions. and will
greatly expedite final action.
Farmers Ignored
The farmers OF the United States
have for years demanded equality
OF benefits under the protective tar
IF. In each campaign the republi-
cans have issued their promises 10
recognize the rights OF agriculture,
but in the adjustment OF tariff rates
they have consistently ignored the
demand of the farmer.
The Hawley bill. was In my opin-
ron. the most indefensible piece of
tariff legislature ever submitted %
congress. It's response to the farm-
er's plea for equality was an in
crease in the rate on practically
every commodity the farmer Is com
PEELED 10 buy, increases which
brought from every agricultural &C.
ton Of the country a storm OF pro-
test against the unfair diScrimina-
ton"
The senate expects to complete
work on the tariff bill shortly after
February /. In that body the coal
ition of democrats and progressives
in full control. They have smoothed
out many OF the most glartag in
equalities Of the house bill by in
creasing rates on agricultural pro-
ducts and pairing down rates on such
industrial products as r receiving
protection.
01AA&4t AA9sC9 G4NASA&
The entire trend Of the coalitions
efforts has been directed toward
achieving parity for agriculture.
Such outstanding progressive sena-
tors as Norah. La Toilette, Norris.
Nye, Frazier, Blaine and BroOkhart
have voted consistently with the de-
mocrats III carrying out this pro-
gram.
The senate rates are very salts
factory 10 the house democrats and
p~rogreSsiveS. and 1t is the objective
Of the minority leader to secure
prompt action on the bill when it Is
gstJrned 10 the house by voting the
Nsnate rates and leaving TO the con-
Rrence only the controversial fea-
lures of the administrative sections
The flexible provision and the de-
benture. If this effort is successful,
the bill should be ready for the
presidents signature by the latter
part Of February. But if the East
ern republicans succeed in bringing
the rates into the conference it will
be impossible TO forecast with any
degree OF accuracy when the mea-
sure will be ready for the president.
The senate has indicated that #
granted industry in the Hawley bill
it will not accept the excessive rates
which discriminates against agl.-
and that 1t viii consent to a measure
culture as did the house bill.