The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-01
DUTY ON TEA
It Would Produce Great Revenue
and Give Very
LITTLE PROTECTION

eou e1uss bA " E,G DSeV
Senator Tillman Spoke in Favor of
Putting on n Duty of Ten Cents
Per Pound, Which He Had Reen
Assured by Importers Would Not
Raise the Price of Ten.
Senator Tillman maze speech in
the United States Senate on Monday
in favor Of duty Of ten cents per
pound on tea. Senator Aldrich said
he had no objection to a revenue
| duty on tea, to which Senator Till
man replied, II am making my pro-
lection argument to you RepubH-
cans. have already shown to my
Democratic colleagues that no man
who wants to vote for revenue duty
can fail to vote for this, for it will
bring s9,0O0,OOO of revenue and
about $1,000 of protection" He
argued that from both standpoiDts
a duty ought to be placed on tea.
After the senator had been speak
ing for about 20 minutes, Senator
Clapp, and after a little Senator
Aldrich, came up and whispered
something into his ear. Soon after
wards Senator Tillman announced
that it was so hot that he would not
speak further, but would ask that
some data he had be inserted in The
Record, SO that senator's could see
it tomorrow.
The vots on it was, therefore, post
poned till tomorrow and it is thought
by many that the whispering and the
sudden closing of the speech means
| that Aldrich and the others are go
ing to grant the duty on tea, in some
amount or another. Senator Till
man said after adjournment that Mr.
!
surance but that he was certain the
Republicans were in a Quandry and
if the Democrats stuck to him the
duty would be put oD.
Seven Republican senators inter-
rupted Senator Tillman and showed
a sympathy for the contention. SEN
ator Hepburn Of Idaho said that for
several years his family had used
no other tea than South Carolina
tea. He practically announced that
he was in favor Of the duty and
would vote for it.
Senator William Alden Smith OF
Michigan said he was not sure that
there ought not to he duty on tea.
Senator Smith Of Michigan, however,
suggested that South Carolina ought
| to pay bounty to tea growers.
To this Senator Tillman suggested,
Il do not think the people Of South
Carolina would be willing to tax
the growers of cotton, corn ard other
products in order TO help GROW some
thing else" He declared that he
had been assured by the importers
that there would be no increase a.
all in the price of tea to the consn-
mer
Being asked how much land there
was in the South suitable for tea
growing, he said he believed that tea
could be grown all the way from
North Carolina to Texas. When the
question of labor came up he pleaded
for the Southern negro as against the
Japs and Chinese. ut is just Ques-
ton of giving the people an oppor-
tunity and little help SO they can
start even with the Asiatics, be
said.
The senator had some tea on his
desk, and he promised to give Scna-
tor Aldrich, whom, he said, for all
practicable purposes was the senate,
some South Carolina ice tea tomor-
row which will cool his in'ards and
make him grant this little help TO
the tea growers.
Senator Tillman WAS interrupted
by the Rhode Island senator, who
suggested that there were some
! things that ceased to be jokes He
is the senate of the United States
and he knows it," replied Mr.. Till
man. Mr.. Aldrich made no further
reply.
Senator Smith of Michigan said he
had been greatly surprised to tins:
that South Carolina is raising 10
times more tea than did the island
Of Ceylon in 1875. This discovery
had, he said, caused him to be vcr3
friendly toward any suggestion looh-
ing to the protection of that indus
try.
Bv a vote OF 30 to | s the Scnat"
Tuesday refused to place duty OF
ten cents pound on tea in support
of the amendment offered to the
tariff bill by Senator Tillman.