The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-22
READY FOR PROTECTION
FOR THE COAL AND IRON INDUSTRIES
OF THE SOUTH.

VT III wv '''
Alabama Prots SITS A gainst Those Products
Being Place on tho Free L'st-VirSlnia
Farmers Seek Protecti for Their Po-
tatoes
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-A call was
isened this morning for full meeting
of the Democratic members of the
Ways and Means Committee to be held
tomorrow. at which 1t was expected
that the first draft of the new tarl11
bill would be considered. Later IN the
.day it was decided to postpone the
meeting of the majority members OF
the committee indefinitely. Bourke
Cochran Of New York who had been
telegraphed for, had not arrived, and
:I,ynum of Indiana was Unexpectedly
called out Of the city last night. Both
gentlemen may be present tomorrow,
but further action will depend upon
their movements.
Several members of the majority
were kept busy yesterday listening to
arguments and appeals from interest
ed persons and parties who desired TO
have their views upon certain matters
incorpol ated into the new tariff Dill .
The most important of these were del
egations from Alabama and Virginia.
The former represented the coal and
iron interests of that State, and they
presented to Chairman Wilson and to
Turner. Mcmillan, Montgomery and
Stephens, who happened to be present
in the room at the time OF the call, the
reasons why, in their opinions. coal and
iron ore should not be placed upon the
free list. This delegation consisted OF
the following gentlemen: F. W. An.
derson. B. F. Moore, Ross G. Smith, W..
ri. Phillips and ChappeD Cory, of the
Commercial Club of Birmingham; L;
G. Bush, president of the Mobile ana
Birmingham Railway Company; ). IL.
McKleroy, president of the Annlston
Land Company, Admission; Nat Baxter
Jr.. of Nashville, presipent of the Ten
nessee Coal and Iron Company. located
at Birmingham.
Bush and Baxter were spokesmen
for the delegation. They stated that
they came as business men purely, al
Though the entire delegation were
Democrats In political affillation. The
interests they represented, the commit
teemen were informed, amounted to
1925 100000, and were the means OF
livelihood of 10000 men IN Alabama.
.The coal and iron interests Of Alabama
if wss stated fed and clothed more than
one-ifth of the entire population OF
that s; ate, and the comfort and happi-
ness Of this large number OF people
were involved in the question whether
or not these articles should be put upon
the free list.
Mr. Bush held that men should be
loyal to their State and section hrst,
and to the welfare Of the whole coun-
try after. He realized the difficulties
that confronted the committee. He
realized, as did great number Of DEM
ocrats, that the tariff was local issue.
He hoped that the committee, in chang
ing the existing law, would not lnJure
any class of business.
Chairman Wilson here Informed Mr..
Bush that he might base has argument
/, bnthe premise that 1t was not the ia
tention of the committee to injure any
business or industry.
MIR. Bush then, continuing, said he
realized that revenue for the govern
ment must be secured, and most OF it
through the custom house. AS long
as a duty on imports was required, he
thought 1t should be divided as nearly
equally as poSsible-so divided that
each article should bear its share of
the burden. In this connection he
called attention to the criticism which
the Republicans had been subjected to
for placing so many articles on tie
free list. In 1875 the total assessed
values In Alabama were about $780,.
100000. This was dt the beginning OF
the product on coal and iron. Today
the assessed values were $3.50, 100000.
The increases were found in the min
eral districts. TIE development of
those industries had greatly benefited
the farmers and improved the markets
for their goods. They wanted to see
the coal and iron trade protected. If
the duty on these articles were re-
duced, the pay of laborers engaged in
their production would also be reduced.
If their pay were reduced, 1t would
drive them to the farms. The industry
in the South was still an "infant" and
needed the present degree of protec-
ton. Those engaged in the business
had been encouraged to enter it by
legislation. If any one was to blame
for the present request it was those
who made the laws. If the committee
was going to experiment. he asked
that they do 1t gradually-do 1t so as
not to strike down a great industry.
The gentlemen before the committee
were all business men, and not politi-
clans. They were Democrats by prin-
ciple, and certainly did not expect to
suffer in the house of their friends.
If they did twas question as to
''how long they would kiss the hand
that smote them"
ducts were beginning to find market
would be benefited by placing them
on the free list, except few blast fur.
: naces on the coast.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Baxter's
remarks, Chairman Wilson said the
question presented by the delegation
had given the committee much anxiety
80 much, indeed, that they lay awake
nights and prayed that they would in
jure no one by their action.
The Virginia delegation represented
Churchland Grange, Norfolk county,
and was composed of John T. Griffin,
Joseph T. Duke, Henry Kern, T. E.
Trotman, W. 3. Carney and K. G. Muir
;? ray. These gentlemen had an inter.
view with Chairman Wilson, in which
they urged upon him the necessity.
from their point Of view. of retaining
in the proposed new tariff measure the
duty of 25 cents bushel upon potatoes.