Saulsbury W. Smoot A. "21,22, Aug. 19, Lay, 2. July Stringer . B. Apr. Sumners H. V. 25, Sutherland G. Sept. 1757 5 ་་ Temple H. W. Thacher I. C. Thompson Wm. H. Sept. 2, Thornton J. R. July Underwood C. W. April Vare m. S. Vollmer H. May 31, T1 23, Wallin 2, 19, 1914. April Walsh T. J. Warren F. Aug. B. July 28. Aug. 287 2, 7, THE TARIFF SPEECH OF 57683 HON. SYDNEY ANDERSON OF MINNESOTA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 26, 1913 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1913 SPEECH OF HON. SYDNEY ANDERSON. ΠΟΝ. The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union had under consideration the bill (H. R. 3321) to reduce tariff duties and to provide revenue for the Government, and for other purposes. Mr. ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman, in the consideration of a tariff bill the first inquiry is naturally directed to the policy which animates it. What is that policy? Is it such a one as will afford the wage earner increased opportunity to labor at better wages and under more advantageous conditions? Will it enhance the rewards of industry, genius, and ability and offer greater inducements for the profitable investment of capital? Will it tend to extend our foreign trade? Speed or retard us as a nation in the race for the world's commerce? Is the policy, whatever it may be, so written into the law that its burdens will be equitably adjusted and its benefits fairly distributed? In his precedent-breaking and possibly epoch-making speech before the House of Representatives and Senate assembled in joint session on the 8th day of April, 1913, the President said: Aside from the duties laid upon articles which we do not and probably can not produce, therefore, and the duties laid upon luxuries and merely for the sake of the revenues they yield, the object of the tariff duties henceforth laid must be effective competition, the whetting of American wits by contest with the wits of the rest of the world. In a signed letter which appeared in the newspapers on the date of April 9, 1913, the gentleman from New York [Mr. HARRISON], member of the Ways and Means Committee, in describing the effect of the bill, said: All duty has been taken off meats, fresh and prepared. This means that meat from Argentina can be imported to compete with the product of American packers. All fish are on the free list, spelling a probable average of 20 per cent reduction in its cost to the consumer. Milk is put on the free list. Potatoes go on the free list. Cheese is cut in various grades from 35 to 42 per cent to 20 per cent. This will particularly affect the cheaper grades used in quantities by the average consumer. Leather and leather goods, with the exception of dress gloves, are put on the free list. This will force American manufacturers of shoes to compete with foreign makers. Paints have been cut enormously. The consumer will be able to purchase excellently made foreign paints at low prices. All soaps have been cut from 20 to 5 per cent. This will force American soap makers to materially lower the price of their product or increase the size of the soap cakes. The duty on all household furniture has been cut from 35 to 15 per cent. This will increase importation of excellently made foreign furniture at low prices. Again, the report of the Democratic majority contains the following statement: And the attempt has been made to produce in every line of industry a competitive tariff basis providing for a substantial amount of importation, to the end that no concern shall be able to feel that it has a monopoly of the home market gained other than through the fact that it is able to furnish better goods at lower prices than others. |