The sun., 1908-12-20
S0UTHASESFOR'PROTECTIOH
GEORGIAN WANTS DUTY ON
-. LUMBER. RETAINED.
Payne Asks why the South Demands the
Highest Protection and Votes for
the Lower-Haryester Go. In Favor
OF q Maximum and Minimum Tariff.

Payne Asks Why the South Demands the
Highest Protection and Votes for
the Lower-HaTyester Go. in Favor
OF q Maximum and Minimum Tariff.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-When a man
from Georgia went before the Ways and
Means Committee to-day and asked that
the duty of e. a thousand on lumber be
retained Chairman Payne remarked:
"Eo section Of the United States is ask
ing for such high duties as the South.
Why Ia 1t that you people demand the
highest duties when you always vote for
the lower2" O.
The witness addressed was H. H. Tiff.
He made haste to say that he was for pro-
lection and was one Of 10000 Georgians
who had voted for Taft.
'Welll" calculated Mr.. Payne. taft
should have carried the State overwhelm-
ingly, judging from the requests We have
had from Georgia since these tariff hear
ings began" , --
Further remarks by Mr.. Payne and
other members of the committee made 1t
seem clear that the committee Is against
the tariff on lumber. The lumber sched-
ule has the best chance Of any OF being
moved to the free list. -
This tendency Of the committee seemed
to grieve MIR. Fordney Of Michigan much.
He 10 the highes. Of the high protection
lists, and lumber is his pet industry. When
Mr.. Tiff got in 9 tight place under the CROSS
fire OF questions Mr.. Fordney came to
his assistance by framing questions that
were in themselves answers. MIR. Payne
became a trihe impatient and. interrupt
ing Mr.. Fordney. he observed:
"Iwould like TO have the witness TESTIFY
a little after you get through
The witness and MIR Fordney were
agreed that the removal Of the tariff
on lumber would not lower the price to
the consumer and would not protect
the American forests. which opinion is
contrary to that of all the people who are
linked with the movement for conservation
of national resources. The conserva-
tionists are demanding free lumber in
order to check timber cutting in this
country.
Mr.. Longworth Of Ohio asked Mr..
Pordney to explain how free trace In
lumber would increase rather than di-
minish the timber cut in this country. Mr.:
Fordney answered that free trade would
cause large importations OF low grade
Canadian lumber. and as result the Amer
lean lumbermen would leave their low
grades uncut and bend all their energies
70 cutting high grade timber. Thus, Mr
Forciney was convinced, free lumber
would actually denude the American
forests
John H. Finney, representing the APP
palachian Forest Reserve Association.
,aI fha Fotftaa IN tnaaYf nTnvlainn
in the tariff bin admitting. certain white
pine evergreens seedlings free of duty.
: specific instead OF an ad valorem duty
should be imposed on seeds. according to
testimony offered by Otto Kuchner OF
Detroit.
senting the International Harvester Com
pany, made an argument in favor Of
maximum and minimum tarih. He
wanted ploughs, harTows. harvesters and
other farm implements admitted free
from countries that granted American
agricultural implements like confession.
but on the products OF those countries
witness said a 20 per cent. ad valorem
duty should be assessed.
Mr.. Metoalf testified that steel cost
less to-day than 1t did before the organi-
zation of the United States Steel Cor
poration. The price Is now more uni
Iofm anu subject 70 ieSs huCtua'Vn' az
a general proposition MIR. Metcah said
that all the materials entering into the
manufacture of farm implements cost
less than formerly. This line OF test-
mony Is directly contrary to that given
by Witnesses representing similar in
Speaking for the International Har-
vester Company. Mr.. Metcalf denied in
the most emphatic manner that his con-
Germ sold their products abroad cheaper
than in this country. He likewise de-
MED that the Harvester company either
fixed the price or possessed the power
TO Ak the price of farm implements.
Representative Mckinley Of California
appeared to ask for an increase in the
duty on hops from IL to "a cents, "
Representative Mendell Of Wyoming
appeared on behalf Of the coal industry
OF the Northwest. He was opposed TO
admitting coal free from Canada. Wages
in the Canadian mines were from 25 to
90 per cent. lower, while the Canadian
lower freights to markets in which the
coal of the Northwestern States Is sold.
Chairman Payne expressed the opinion
that he knew Of no article Of commerce
that could 90 well afford 70 pay revenues
to the Government in the form Of customs
duties as automobiles He rather in-
dicated that in the bill that would be re-
ported in the special session a good stiff
duty would be placed on automobiles.
which are now taxed at the rate Of IS per
cent.
Chairman Payne's observations were
brought out by the testimony OF W. G.
Durrant of Flint. Mich, representing the
Buick Automobile. Company. Mr.. Dur
rant protested against an increase In
the duties on automobiles to copper cent,
as urged by other representatives Of the
industry who have appeared before the
committee. He declared that this high
rate was desired by some makers merely
70 protect extravagant management and
enormous profits. He advocated duty
of 20 per cent. on automobiles, which,
would tbe adequate for the protection
of labor employed in the industry, and
so per cent on parts of automobiles