The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-06
GOSSIP FROM THE
 STATE CAPITAL Public Men Discuss Public
 Question HEFLIN ON THE TARIFF Alabama People Are interested In Protective Tariff to Some Degree. Richardson Interested In
 Waterways.
HEFLIN ON THE TARIFF
By HERvEY ". LAIRD.

Montgomery, December 5-(Special J. On his way from his home at Dafayette to Washington, Congressman J. Thomas Hetiin of the Fifth district stopped long enough in Montgomery to say goodbye to friends and to say that he had no con- tidence in the world in the talk of tariff reform by the republicans "They will probably take It off some things and put it on others" he said. but in the end the tariff favored interests will get what they want"
 It will be good news to the Alabama friends of MT Hehin to know that MT, McCreary. the nan shot by MT. Heflin in Washington, the bullet being intended for negro. is well and entirely recover ed. He wrote to MT. Hehin this week saying that he is doing all right and ready to aid in every way in getting the trouble adjusted as It is thought it will be soon. Mr. Hehin said the caucus would elect Champ Clark minority leader to succeed John Sharpe Williams.
 Serious Problems.
 Alabama congressman are going to have some rather more serious problems along tariff lines from now on than has ever been the case The same thing is so of others in the south. It has come to pass in the south that there is need of pro lection. Or rather, many manufacturing enterprises seem to think that there is It is argued by the lumber men for the most part that to remove the duty on lumber would be bad thing for them. It is also said that the iron and steel men are fearful of the same thing.
 It comes out that if there is much agi- tation of the question a number of the Dixie fellows may hear from home. Florida fruit growers want protection for their goods. The same thing is so for the sugar people of Louisiana and the lumber mills of Mississippi and Alabama, along with Argansas and Texas are not going to let the two dollar duty on the output be removed until after they are heard from This has had the effect of making some of the men of the south stop and think little, even though they may take the position that things ought to come down
 Long a Question.
 How to regulate the affairs of the whole country so as to make for the BOOu WiluOuI prikdle H. terests, has ever been the seeking of statesmen" said a member of the Ala bama delegation this week. '1 believe that the tariff ought to be reduced; in fact, must be reduced if the country escapes from the injurious influences that control it, yet am not at all certain that we can bring this about without hurting some of the interests that feel as if they ought to have protection now that they are trying to build themselves up. How ever, am yet convinced that the tariff for revenue only Is the best and safest plans and ve must get ourselves ad- justed to it."
 Business men say that at this time the tariff hearings in Washington are hurting things badly. F. A. deFuniak, general freight agent of the Louisville and Nash vile road said this week that in every section of the country he had found this to be so. Manufacturers and jobbers are holding back waiting the outcome. NO man." he said, 'cares to buy with the possibility of the future changing the prices; hence they are waiting until some thing is done in a definite way. I believe that things will brighten up with the re- port of the ways and means committee now in session.
 Mir. Hefin's Intentions.
 Recurring to MT Hehin and his work in Congress- 1t is his intention to give spe- cial attention to the question of federal cooperation with the states in improving public roads. This will be a valuable movement for all the people," said MT. He1in. ''and is an issue of gravest i'm portance. I will also have care for the