Notes from Washington.

CORN industry; PRESIDENTS of the United States; COOLIDGE, Calvin, 1872-1933; COMMERCIAL policy; INTERNATIONAL competition

The U.S. Tariff Commission has just completed a $20,000 investigation on corn and sent its report to U.S. President Calvin Coolidge. The three Republican commissioners, although two of them knew better, in their timely solicitude for the farmer recommended an increase in the duty. Raising the duty on corn cannot help the farmer any more than changing the style in lamp-posts. Considering that only one-twenty-fifth of 1 per cent of the total production of corn and less than 2 per cent of the marketable surplus is imported, foreign competition can hardly be the cause of the farmer's troubles. Whether the duty on corn be fifteen or fifty cents he will still have difficulty in meeting his bills.