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

CarOllna mas aQ lulaut 1AuuoVAy'
Senator Tillman, when the bill for
the repeal of the war revenue taxa-
ton was called up in the Senate last
Friday, introduced the infant to the
Senate as "a poor, little, measly
Southern tariff baby, with only one
protected citizen, so far a South
Carolinian." He referred of course,
to DR.. Charles U. Shepard and his
tea farm at "Pinehurst," Summer
Vile, S. G. A short time ago DR..
Shepard wrote a letter to Senator
Tillman asking his assistance in de-
feating the repeal of the war tax on
foreign teas. It was in this connec-
ton that Senator Tillman called che
Senate's attention to the tea culture
experiment in South Carolina. And
while he did not care to plunge the
Senate into tariff debate just at
this time, Senator Tillman gave no
tice that he would, at the earliest op,
portunity, attempt to have this tax
on tea reinstated.
In his letter to Senator Tillman
DIR. Shepard stated that under the
protection of the ten cents per pound
tax on tea and the assistance of Con
gress in providing funds for expert
mentation 10 tea culture, there was
strong hope of successfully launch
ing new industry in the Southern
States. An estate of one thousand
acres is being established gradually
and foreign capitalists are seeking
to invest 100000 in another plants-
ton in that vicinity. In addition
DR.. Shepard says in his letter that
the numerous small undertakings
and correspondence with the lead
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 a
large scale and that parties are now
contemplating the purchase of ex'
perimental tea estates along these
railroads.
The repeal of the tax on foreign
teas will, in the opinion of DR.. Shep-
ard, deprive American growers of as
sistance equivalent to the 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 the industry, but
prevent others who are now consid-
ering the project from attempting to
follow them.
Senator Tillman read to the Sen
ate DR.. Shepard's letter and an ex
tract from an official statement of
the Secretary of Agriculture com
mending the industry heartily. Sen
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 utilizes this Ia
Dor with success on his farm, and, in
addition to being taught how to
pluck tea and to perform other work
in connection with the product of the
crop. DR.. Shepard has established
schools at Pinehurst, where these
negro children are received and edu-
Gated.
Having called your attention to
the fact," said Senator Tillman in
conclusion, "that we have little
baby in South Carolina that might,
with your assistance and beneVolence,
weld some aid and comfort to those
little colored children in the way OF
calico frocks, handkerchiefs, ribbons
and little better food, and in time
enable capital to 60 into those lands
and, by training the negroes in plant
ing tea, have that region, which is
now selling from only one to five
dollars an acre, blossom like rose;
and notifying you that whenever the
opportunity offers, if 1 am in this
chamber, propose to press for
tariff on both tea and coffee; although
we have not any coffee plantation!
down there, we have some in Porto
Rico, we are going to have some il