The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-28
Special News and Courier. !

Senator Tillman, when the bill for
the repeal of the war revenue taxa
ton was called up in tho Scnato last
Friday, introduced tho infant to tho
Senate as "a poor, little, measly
Southern tariff baby, with only one
protected citizen, so far Il South
| Carolinian." Ho referred of course,
to DIR, Charles Z. Shepard and his
tea farm at "Pinehurst," Summer
vile, S. G. A short time ago DIR.
Shepard wrote u letter to Senator
Tillman asking his assistance in do.
feating the repeal Of tho war tax on
foreign teas. 1t was in this conncc
ton that Senator Tillmun called tho
Senate'a attention to the tca culture
experiment in South Carolina. And
while he did not care to plunge the
Senate into Il tariff debate lust at
this time, Senator Tillman gave no.
tlce that he would, at tho earliest op
portunity, attempt to havo this tax
on tea reinstatod.
In his letter to Senator Tillman
DIR. Shepard stated that under the
protection of the ten cents per pound
tax on tea and tho assistance Of Con
gress in providing funds for expert
mentation in tea culture, therc was
strong hope Of successfully launch
ing new industry in tho Southern
States. An estate of ono thousand
acres is being established gradually
and foreign capitalists are soeking
to invest 100000 in another planta-
ton in that vicinity. In addition
DIR. Shepard says in his letter that
the numerous small undertakings
and correspondence with tho load
ing officers Of the big trunk line sys
tens of Of the South and Southwest
both lead him to believe that tea cul-
ture will soon be established on n
large scale and that parties arc now
contemplating the purchase of OK
perimental tea estates along these
railroads.
The repeal Of tho tax on foreign
teas will, in the opinion of DR.. Shop
ard, deprive American growers Of as.
slstanco equivalent to tho difference
in the cost per pound of tea between
the local and Oriental price of labor,
and not only discourage those who
have embarked in tho industry, but
prevent others who arc now consid
ering the project from Attempting to
follow them.
Senator Tilman read to the Sen
ate DIR. Shepard's letter and an OK
tract from an official statement OF
the Secretary Of Agriculture com
mending the industry heartily. Son.
ator Tillman then went on to make the
point that the establishment of large
tea farms in the South would offer
employment to many of the thous
ands of little pickaninnies along the
coast. DR.. Shepard utiIizes this la.
Dor with SUCCESS on his farm, and, in
addition to being taught how tc
pluck tea and to perform other work
in connection with tho product Of the
crop. DIR. Shepard has established
schools at Pinehurst, whore these
negro children are received and edu
Gated.
'Having called yonr attoution to
the fact" said Senator Tillman ir
conclusion, "that we have q little
baby in South Carolina that might
with your assistance and benevolence
yield some aid and comfort to thos,
littlo colored children in the way O
calico frocks, handl<erchiefs, ribbon
and little better food, and in tim,
enable capital to go INTO those land
and, by training the negroes in plant
ing tea, have that region, which i
now selling from only one to iiv
dollars an acre, blossom like rose
and notifying you that whenever tn
opportunity offers, if l am in thi
chamber, | propose to press for
tariff on both tea and coffee; althoug
we have not any coffee plantation
J. down there, we have some in Port
Rico, we are going to have some