The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-01
Roosevelt on Tariff

Roosevelt at Sioux City spoke ably on two root
eyls-high taxes and high tariffs.
Leaving for another address detailed discussion
of federal revenues and expenditures he stressed the
issue of local and state taxes which represent
thirds of total tax burden
He showed that sweeping reorganization Of local
and state governments, involving scrapping Of many
Offices and functions of useless overlapping units,
is necessary to lift the tax burden.
In his longer discussion Of the tariff, he went
farther than ever before in a demand for reduction
though not far enough, in judgment.
He was especially honest in admitting that the
tariff not help the farmer, but that, the
trary it is responsible for much of the disastrous
spread between the price of what the farmer sells
and what he must buy.
This statement is all the more gratifying because
in earlier speech Roosevelt seemed to be finger
ing the farm tariff gold brick We quote his latest
statement
The principal cash crops of our farms are pro-
duced much in excess of our domestic requirement.
We know, of course, that tariff surplus crop,
no matter how high the wall has the slightest effect
to raise the domestic price of that CROP
THE producers Of all these crops are thrust as
effectively outside the protection of tariff walls
as if there tariff at ALL But we still know
that the tariff does proect the prices of industrial
the farmer, with increasing bitterness, has come to
realize that he sells free-trade basis; he buys
in protected market The higher industrial tariffs
60 the greater is the farmers burden"
His admirable summary of the vicious effects of
the present law follows:
"The Grundy tariff largely has extinguished the
export markets for industrial and farm supplies;
1T has prevented payment of public and private debts
to us, and the interest thereon increasing taxation
to meet the expense of our government and, finally,
it has driven our factories abroad"
AS resolution, he proposes:
l. Reciprocal arrangements with foreign govern
ments on trading basis for tariff reduction
2. Enactment of reforms contained in the recent
Democratic tariff bill vetoed by Hoover; including
reduction of log rolling by egslatng on single tariff
rates at time, and making the tariff commission
responsible to congress instead of to the President
These reforms necessary.
But his proposal for reciprocal tariff treaties is
not convincing as an immediate solution Negotia-
ton of commercial treaties requires many years. and
his reciprocity method involves reversal of our pres
ent most-favored treaties and long confusion.
Perhaps such change is desirable We are not
certain. Assuming that it is good, it is long time
change and not method of quick relief.
Because agree fully with Roosevelt that there
be real prosperity unless and until the high
tariff policy is reversed urge fiat tariff reduction
by the next congress- at least to the 1922 Republican
rates. and without waiting for prolonged foreign
gotiatons. The foreign agreements and will
later.
1t remains for Roosevelt to say how much Of
tariff cut he favors and when. He admits that mis-
own and his platforms declaration for "compet-
tive" tariff lis not widely different from that preached
by Republicans" But he says the Republicans are
not sincere in this while the Democrats are.
In view of the Democratic record in helping to
pass the Hawley- Smoot monstrosty, and the failure
of the recent Garner Democratic tariff bill to pro-
pose a single rate reduction, Roosevets pledge OF
competitive" tariff does not go far enough.
At Sioux City he vent most of the way toward
pledging tariff reform. In his next tariff address
he should go the whole way, and commit himself
to a definite and immediate cut