The Tariff-Makers

Senator Reed Smoot of Utah, President of the Provo Commercial and Savings Bank, director of Zion's cooperative Mercantile Co., director of the Deseret National Bank, director of the Deseret Savings Bank, member of the World War Foreign Debt Commission, president of the Electric Co. (of Provo, Utah), regent of the Smithsonian Institution, president of the Smoot Investment Co., Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is a man of substance and consistency. Last week, as he arrived in Florida to see Mr. Hoover, he declared for "general and liberal upward revision of the tariff to maintain Republican prosperity.

Three days later, emerging from conference with Mr. Hoover, Senator Smoot felt obliged to say that there would be "no general revision of the tariff law at the extra session." Thus did Mr. Smoot show consistency. He supported his Presi-dent--future as well as present.

Mr. Smoot's summary conversion showed plainly that Mr. Hoover had made up his mind about what he wants done to the tariff. He wants a higher tariff for agriculture and for a few specific indus tries (not named) which are now in poor condition.

One of the modists who have drawn the old-style plans is Mr. Joseph R. Grundy of Pennsylvania. "Who is Mr. Grundy?" ask the ill-informed. "We have heard of his wife--or his sister-in-law--or of some Mrs. Grundy--but who, oh who is MISTER Grundy?"

Mr. Grundy is a man who raised $700,000 to elect Mr. Coolidge in 1924; who raised $615,000 in 1926 to elect a governor* of Pennsylvania who would veto a corporation stock tax; who raised $547,000 to elect Mr. Hoover in 1928. Mr. Grundy is a worsted maker of Bristol, Pa., and president of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association. Mr. Grundy is the man who has gone down to Washington about every tariff bill since the Dingley Bill of 1897. Who knows better than Mr. Grundy why the Pennsylvania delegation in the House caucused unanimously for a special session to deal with farm relief-- and tariff?

Last week the wool ranchers and wool manufacturers bombarded the Ways & Means Committee about Schedule 11, the wool tariff. Count through the alphabet to the eleventh letter and it is K-- the famous Schedule K of 1909, the issue on which the Democrats carried the House election of 1910.

Mr. Grundy and the tariff boosters had their shoulders to the wheel. Congress itself seemed ready to give it a spin--and then Mr. Smoot was converted in Miami. Small wonder if Mr. Grundy had food for thought. Small wonder if Mr. Hoover too had food for thought. Could he disgruntle Mr. Grundy--the Mr. Grundy who raised for the Republicans $700,000 in 1924, $615,000 in 1926, and $547,000 in 1928?

*John S. Fischer was nominated over E. A. Beidelman; William S. Vare's primary partner.