The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-08-15

! people that the Democratic party is a
free trade party. 1t has opposed tar
| iff policy for protection only. but as
! early as 1877 we had protective tar
! iff and we have never in the one hun
] dred and four years since known free
/ trade. General Hancock, the party
nominee for President in 1880, regarded
| the tariff as a local question. Samuel
J. Randall. for years the party leader
! and Speaker Of the House, was pro-
! tectionist. In every Congress where
! the question has been presented num-
bers OF Democrats have voted agains.
and helped to kill free trade. | have
| contended that Southern products
should be put on equality with others,
Fand in 1897 fought to have rice, pine
lumber and cotton protected. The cry
Of Republican" was raised against
, me then. but the people, before whom
the issue was squarely put, endorsed
me by an overwhelming vote. Are you
now undertaking to reverse that ver-
dict?
have favored ship subsidies. Il is
a great question and one. | submit. IN
which the people Of this State are COM
petent to pass after hearing full argu-
ment. The subject has never been dis
| cussed before them although it is OF
vast Importance TO the prosperity o.
! this State. The purpose of the subsidy
| is to develop the building and opera
| ton of great fleets Of American ships.
| 1t touches the interest OF our sea ports.
of our lumber industries. OF all our
manufacturing enterprises and our
great agricultural products. 1t is
question on which some OF the ablest
Democrats of the House and Senate
are divided. most humbly submit that
it is not in order for twenty-one mem
/ bers Of your committee to rule that the
/ Democratic masses Of South Carol na
/ shall not at their campaign meetings
hear this matter Of vital interest to
them discussed and that the people OF
the sea coast cities, who would like to
/ see new tides OF commence brought to
/ their harbors and the lumbermen and
owners of roset lands who would he
! glad to sell material for more ships.
! are to be thrown neck and heels out o..
! the party because they favor ship sub
sides. Senators Carlisle. PCgh and
! Morgan voted for a subsidy bill which
! has been in force ten years and which
has helped our Brazilian trade, in
measure at least Are they not Demo
| Gratis. according to the decision OF Sen
ator Tillman and your committee?
/ believe that it is our duty to de-
velop the new territory which has
come intoNo possession along COM
mercial and industrial lines, to civfiize
them, and make them the equal OF our
own State in material prosperity.
! Senator Tillman wouid leave them,
after we have deprived them OF the
protection Of Spain, to a hopeless St; 6 .
! gle as an independent nation without
resources or self-protection. Fortunate
! ly for us the records show that in
| building them up, We are going to ben
, eft our own country. | want 10 give
that territory the best form OF govern
ment in the world: he does not want to
give it any form Of government at all.
| He saws free silver or bust | say the
American people have settled that
question at the ballot box.
am for a sound currency AMI con-
slant employment for all who desire
work at remunerative wages. Ihis we
cannot have without an outlet for our
surplus products on equal terms with
all of our cometitors in the markets
of the world. Do you think the ener-
getic, live, progressive young business
man of the South will long permit the
cables of a few scheming politicians to
stand between him and the attainment
of these glorious ends? II this is not
Democracy, then gentlemen, | invite
YOU to join hands with me in making
| 1t so.
These are the leading question on
which understand my Democracy and
LOYALTY have been assailed. The rec
ords give me little light as to what
further ground there Lay be for your
action. Allow me to summarize tHem
briefly.
In the first session OF the 55th Cen
rress Senator Tillman and myself voted
together in 148 of $50 yea and nay
votes.
voted against him for protection to
the farmers on an amendment to the
tariff bill, proposed by Senator Jones,
of Arkansas. present chairman OF the
Democratic executive committee. fCs-
sibly you may recovene your commit
tee and read him out Of the party. |
voted with Jones, Ves., Bacon, Bate,
Berry. Daniel, Mills, Morgan and all
the other Democrats, except Senator'S
Tillman and McEnery, who voted with
the Republicans. 1t was straght
/ marty vote. On another amendment to
the same bill voted with the Demo-
! Gratis. Senator Tillman was the one
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