The Washington times., 1909-03-26
Oriental Labor. Predomi-
mates in British Columbia,
Declares Humphrey.
SAYS STATEMENTS
ARE NOT CORRECT
Challenges Evidence Submitted
by Witnesses Representative
Fordney Follows Him.

That more than 20 per cent OF the
labor employed in British Columbia lum-
Der mills WAS Oriental was the state
meut made TO the House today by Rep
resentattve Humphrey (Rep., Wash) in
urging protection on lumber fer the
Northwest.
Humphrey figured in a spirited dispute
with Representative Payne CRep., New
Ycrk) when the latter made his eight
hour speech, taking ssue with the
chairmau's statement that, according 10
the witnesses before the Ways and
Means Committee there was only per
cent Of Oriental labor employed.
Humphrey attacked the correctness of
several of the witnesses before the COM
mittee. He declared that with white
labor the cost of making thousand
shingles in Washington States was 50
cents. whereas with Chinese labor, as
in British Columbia, it was only p
cents.
CushIusn (Rep., Wash.l came TO his
aid by reading some statistics OF i'm
ports from Canada. he declared that
shingles were produced so cheaply in
British Columbia that S2,3S3,Og0 worth
stnG only $4,000 worth sent from the
United States to British Columbia.
The Washington Congressman main
tatned that what was the finished pro-
duct in the East was but the raw ma
ter1al in their section Of the country.
Representative FordneY Rep. Mich)
then began his discussion of the tariff.
High Tariff Man.
When Representative Fordney CRe-
publican, Aiichigan) arose in the House
today 10 discuss the tariff he was at
once made the center of close atten-
ton. As a consistent. militant advo-
cate of a hign protective tariff he has
no superior in the House not even from
western Pennsylvania. He said. in
part:
Entire frankness obliges me to say
that, in my opinion. some OF the sehed-
ules in this bill do not measure UP
fully TO the standard Of protection com
manded by the Republican national
platform, and I trust that amendments
will be presented to cover such errors
and omissions as are shown 20 exist.
I regard the maximum and minimum
provision Of the utmost value to all the
PEOPLE OF this country engaged in gain
Cheap cost Of living and cheap men
can never be made the basis OF eco
nonic progress. When high prices for
farm aud manufactured prodccts and
American labor prevail prosperity also
prevails
He favored the bill on wool, which is
the same in the Payne bill as in the
Dingley law, and said that the duty
on imported cotton fabrics should be
increa sed.
4 should also have been highly
pleased. he said. ''to see d pa IA gra ph
in tIis bill providing fOr duty on
long staple cotton. It is growing
and important industry IN the South
and needs protection 10 capital and
labor TO guarantee success Cotton i
the predominating product Of the Soutl
and therefore should receive its fair
share of protection along with the prod
.ucts of other States
Deplores Reduction.
he deplored the reduction in the tarif
on low grades Of lumber saying that
the industry needs protection only or
these grades. American high grades
compete in the markets Of the world
with lumber from all parts OF the world
'I know OF no reason Why lumber
should be made the mark for free trade
argument" Fordney added
He said that 4 great amount of sugar
iS admitted free Of duty or at rates
lower than provided by the Dinglev Ia
because OF tariff concessions granted to
Hawaii. Porto Rico. Cuba. and the
Philippines. As to prices he demon
strated that the beet sugar factories
pay higher prices for a ton OF beets
than the European refiner asks for a
ton Of granulated sugar. The duty OF
Sl.90 pc 100 pounds Of sugar he consid-
cred to be very reasonable. Sugar was
lower in price in 1905 fhan IL was in
1895, the last year OF the Wilson bill
Nearly every other necessity Of life had
greatly increased in price I'm the same
ftrne-
The price for sugar he said. paid
by the consumers in the United States
is less than the price paid by consumers
in any other country except England
and some OF her colonies Every sugar
producing country OF Europe maintains
higher tax on suEaS than the fui
Dingley rates on that article The rates
Of duty fixed I'm the Payne bin are prac.
tically 20 per cent less than those ixet
IN the DinEley bill
The intent and principle Of a pro
tective tariff law is none other than q
foster capital and labor At home Al
equitably arranged tariff means no will
fully Idle men. On the other hand II
means stability TO both capital anc
labor and IS the greatest safeguard {,
Americans against r1Iinous foreign com
petition that could be ina gined'