354
AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
Mr. Goss. I just want to call attention——
Mr Kixcreroe. I was just asking how are you going to keep it
out; that is what I had in mind.
Mr. Goss. I am going to call your attention to the trend of prices
which would have more effect than the provision we have here for
putting on metal tags on every bale imported so that it could not be
imported and shipped through the country.
Mr. KixcueLor. There is nothing in that. That metal tag just
simply says “ Was not raised in this country.”
Mr. Goss. Yes.
Mr. KincueLoE. It does not keep them from selling it in this coun-
try and getting the benefit of the world’s price plus debenture.
Mr. Goss. That would probably be a very small proportion of the
imports. Our imports of cotton are long-staple cotton, which is com-
ing from Egypt. We have to pay the world’s price at Egypt plus
transportation to America. If a debenture rate is established on
cotton—let us see what it would do on that 2-cent debenture rate on
this long-staple cotton. We will assume that the world’s price in
Egypt is, I will say, 20 cents, just for a figure.
Mr. KixcurLoe. 1 do not care what it 1s.
Mr. Goss. Let us suppose the expense of bringing it to America is
114 cents. Istablishing a debenture rate of 2 cents a pound on long-
staple cotton would not raise the price the whole 2 cents, because the
world market price is lower than the American price.
‘Mr. KivcHELOE. If you are going to help the farmer, do not do it
piecemeal. Why not put a debenture on there that will help him.
Mr. Goss. It will help the grower of American cotton.
Mr. Kinceror. You have got things I can not really understand.
If you are going to help the farmer, if this is going to reflect back
down on that grower, which I hope it will if it becomes a law, be-
cause I do not want to vote for a bill that is going to help the ex-
porters only—if that will do that, then I would put on enough de-
benture here so that it is going to help the farmer.
Let me go a little further: If you put this debenture on there
high enough it is going to help the farmer the higher you put it;
and, of course, the more revenue, you will admit. it is going to take
out of the Treasury, will you not?
Mr. Goss. Yes.
~ Mr. KincuELOE. Of course, I do not see any difference in keeping
i out of the Treasury than there is in appropriating it out of the
Lreacury after you get it in, in principle. But I think the debenture,
if you are going to help the farmer. ought to be high enough so that
it will really help him. - To
a, Dog 3, Binhel, J will help the farmer on one oc-
Gan, a, Hu hen the American farmer is on the world mar-
ton is 14 wheat or cotton. We will assume that the price of cot-
4 nl Sous In America and 12 cents in the rest of the world, and
enture would not help the American farmer—the cotton
grower, because he could only get 12 cents in the European market
plas a alent debenture, and he could sell here for 14 cents.
or. NCHELOE. Then you sav it will not help the American
Mr. Goss. It will not if the price i ica is hi ;
1f the price in America is higher than in the
rest of the world: and it is not aimed to do that. es is aimed to
