The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-12
TAKEN TO TASK
Col. Bryan Talks of the protec-
ton Democrats.
OPEN TO CRITICISM

BY Voting to Tax Lumber in Direct
Violation of the Platform of Their
Party-They Must be Prepared to
Defend Their Vote OH the Merits
of the Question.
In the last issue of the Common
er Col. w. ]. Bryan says the Demo
Gratis who voted against free lumber
! have
Voted to repudiate the national
platform of the Democratic party:
Voted to encourage the destruc-
tion of our forests:
Voted to raise the price of one
of the chief necessaries of life:
Voted to tax a material that en-
ters into a multitude of industries,
and thus to place an unnecessary
burden upon these industries:
Voted to tax the people of the
whole country for the benefit OF 4
comparatively few owners OF timber
lands; and
Voted to tax a majority of their
own constituents for the benefit oil
minority Of those constituents.
To cast such a vote a Democrat
must have arguments that have not
yet been given to the public and
must be prepared to present these
arguments to his constituents.
The Democratic platform adopt
ed by unanimous vote at Denver
last July, contains the following tariff
plank:
1--WE welcome the belated promise
of tariff reform now offered by the
Republican party as tardy recogni-
ton of the righteousness of the
Democratic position on this question.
But the people can not safely en-
trust the execution Of this impor-
tant work to a party which Is so
deeply obligated to the highly pro-
tected interests as Is the Republi-
can party. We call attention to the
significant fact that the promised
relief is postponed until after the
coming e.ection-an election to sue
ceed In which the Republican party
must have that same support fron
the benefciaries Of the high protec-
t"tive tariff as 1t has always hereto
fore received from them and to tho
further fact that during years of un-
interrupted power no action whatever
has been taken by the Republican
congress to correct the admittedly
existing tariff iniquities.
I'VE favor immediate revision of
the tariff by the reduction of i'm
port duties. Articles entering into
competition with trust controlled
products should be placed upon the
free list; material reductions should
be made in the tariff upon the neces-
saries of life, especially upon articles
competing with such American manu-,
facturers as are sold abroad more
cheaply than at home, and gradual
reductions should be made in such
other schedules as may be necessary
to restore the tariff to a revenue Das-
| Is.
Existing duties have given the
manufacturers Of paper a shelter
behind which they have organized
| combinations to raise the price OF
pulp and OF paper, thus imposing a
tax upon the spread of knowledge.
We demand the immediate repeal
of the tariff on wood pulp, print
paper, lumber, timber and logs, and
that these articles be placed upon
the free list.
1t will be noticed that the last
sentence OF the last paragraph OF
the plank contains a definite and
specific demand for the immediate
repeal OF tho tariff on wood pulp
print paper, lumber, timber and
logs, and that these articles be placed
| upon the free list.
No language could be more clear;
| no platform promise could be more
| explicit. II the Democratic party
is committed to anything. 1t is COM
| mitted to the repeal of the tariff
on wood pulp, print paper, lumber.
timber and logs.
In the tariif contest in congress
a number of Democrats in the Senate
and house have voted for tariff on
lumber, and have attempted TO de-
fend their action In 50 doing. Two
questions are involved, and the
Democratic party must be prepared
to meet these questions and answer
them to the satisfaction of the coun-
try.
First. is a platform promise bind
ing? We are now charging that the
Republican party is guilty OF breach
of promise ir not revising the tariff
downward. But how can the Dem
ocrats criticise the Republicans for
constituting the word revise to mean
an increase in the tariff if Dem
ocratic senators and congressman
deliberately rcpudiate q plain and
unmistakable promise OF free lum-
Der? The Democrats who voted
against free lumber will Of course.