The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-14
opinion OH some particular points. Some,

favored q propaganda Oh "CVenue FTlnClplcs
by showing up the %iniquitios of the measure,
so that in future these discussions might be
used as political capital. The same old fight
that for one,third of a century has proven
so futile and barren of results. There were
others, myself among the number, who
favored a general attack on the Sec
tional features Of the bill, followed
up by q vigorous demand for exact
JUSTICE TO ALL SECTIONS
and for all the people. We believed that
there were fair minded men enough in the
West who would combine with us in a COM
mon defence against the ~plundering COM
bines il the East, to badly cripple il not de-
stroy that power. In this we were not mis-.
taken, as several votes will show. You will
pardon me for saying that / took the lead in
this rather new departure, and am fully sat.
isfied that the bill could have been defeated
or the East deprived of its advantages, had
the Democratic party acted as a unit on this
line. | took my stand on the tariff plank of
the Chicago platform.
l contended that the middle clause was of
equai, if not more importance than the first.
and that its strict enforcement would bring
most satisfactory results. o..
Others Joined me in this and several
speeches were made in its favor. We assum-
ed that without an income tax the entire
| contention, aside from a desire to make po-
Utica. capital, was one Of schedules. There
is not O man before me who would listen to
the tariff debate one single day and not
come to the same conclusion. Let me give
you G. few instances among Democrats to
! sustain this contention. Senator Rawlins
demanded q duty on wool and g~ilsonite for
Utah. Senator White asked for q duty on
boraz and fruit for California. Senator
Morgan wanted n duty on iron for Alabama.
| Senator Pasco wanted higher duties on cigar
wrappers for Florida. Senator Bacon want
ed a duty on cotton and lumber for Georgia.
Senator Tillman and myself wanted what
we could get for rice, cotton, lumber, baux-
tie and monazite for South Carolina. Con-
gresham Love and Williams wanted a duty
| for long staple cotton for Mississippi and
Maddox wanted O duty on pyrites and baux-
lite for Georgia, while Fowler, of North Caro-
lima, Joined in for it all. Senator Allen, af-
ter condemning a duty on lumber, of which
his State produced none, asked for q duty on
chicory, of which his people were large pro-
duccrs. Senator Gallery, of Louisiana, after
expanding days denouucing a protective tar
if, wound up with q demand for q duty on
sugar.
might tell you how some would denounce
protection on the floor Of the House, and
then come quietly into our committee room
and ask for a duty on some product in their
own district.
| became disguised with such double deal
ing aud with Tillman, Bacon, Rawlins and
others began the fight on the sectiona fea-
lures of the bill, and demanded equal privi-
leges for the South and her industries. The
result of our efforts has been a duty on COT
ton, equal privileges for Southern pine and
| Southern railroad ties, higher duties on rice
and q duty on beautite. We have also COM
PEELED the Republican managers to recognize
the injustice of taxed jute bagging for the
planter and none on binding twine for the
wheat raiser, and have put this bagging on
the free list. Not a single one of us believes
in the doctrine of protection, and 80 d~eclear-
| ed repeatedly, but made the fight under that
part of the Democratic tariff plank which de-
! clares hat "duties shall be so adj usted as to
| operate equally throughout the country, and
not discriminate between class and section"
In my opinion our course was not only pro-
per, but in strict accord with the good old
Democratic doctrine of equality before the
law. l declared on the ioor Of the Senate
that the South asked for no advantage, but
demanded simple justice. If protection was
beneficial, as alleged, the South was selfish
enough to want her share; if the policy
| proved disastrous we were patriotic enough
to stand our portion, but under all condi-
tons and at all times we demanded equal
benefits and equal burdens under all nation
nj legislation, we wanted to be recognized
as a portion OF this great nation, whose
rights and opportunities should be consider
ed. In this manner we have kindled q fire
under this Internal Eastern advantage that
will roast out all those who are now manip-
| ulating it.
Let us take up the question of cotton duty
and anslyze it: If las some say it will
be no good, l will answer that it will do
no harm, but place the cotton planter and
wheat grower on an equality, which of it
self is O. confession of sectionalism and in
Justice from the Republican party. | con-
tend however that it will benefit the cotton
! planters of the South. 1t will furnish
| an extended market for our long staple cot
ton, keep out a lot of trash coming here from
Mexico and relieve the growers of short sta
pie, of that much competition, which should
be a benefit, and | believe it will. DO you
realize the growing extent Of cotton imports
in this country? (lIere Mr.. McEaurin gave
some figures.)
Aside from this there will be n tendency
to bring South the New England mills, which
are now using this imported cotton, for the
purpose Of being nearer the supply of long
staple. The idea that this duty will not ben
eft the cotton grower is Clearly met by the
fact that the next morning after the cotton
tax was passed a compensatory duty was
proposed for the manufacturers of the Egyp-
tan cotton. | am not discussing this as a
Protectionist, but simply as fair play to-
wards the South and as an evidence of what
might be done to break up the entire pro-
~toctive system. When protection reaches all
| classes and all sections it will die of its own
accord.
TIE RICE SCHEDULES
were cut all to pieces by the Senate commit
tee and II most vicious effort was made to
make this industry feel the iron hand Of
s%ectionalism. l imagined it was pointed di-
rectly 1T South Carolina and promptly took
up the fight. l gave the matter a thorough
investigation and became convinced that the
industry WIS being Disseminated against
aud that northern buyers received the bene'
; fit. | made a speech in defiance of the rice
planters Of the South, so full of facts and
| statistics that | had soon the attention of the
Senators. The Republican sterling com,
mittec at once took alarm and hastily re-
ceded from their amendments and restored
the House schedules in order to prevent fur