The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-09
PLAIN FACTS
About the Tariff bill Told by
Senator Smith
ON FLOOR OF SENATE

He Boldly Declares That the Whole
Tendency Of the Present Legisla-
ton is to Give the Manufacturer
Undue Advantage Over the Pro-
ducer and the Consumer.
Denouncing the pending tariff bill
as giving the manufacturer an undue
advantage over the American farmer
and working man, Senator Smith,
OF South Carolina, uneQuivocally ex-
pressed his faith in free trade poll
c. in an extended steecb while the
cotton schedule was under consider
alton in the Senate on Tuesday. The
following w-rite-up Of the speech was
furnished The News and Courier by
its Washington correspondent:
The whole tendency Of this leg
islation has been to cheaper the raw
material and raise the price OF the
finished article said Mr.. Smith,
thereby giving to the protected
manufacturer a double advantage,
lessening the price of what he has
to buy and raising the price Of what
ne has 70 SELL
Il am not pleading for. nor shall
l vote for, protection Tor the raw
material l believe thing is worth
what it will bring in the open mark
cts of the. world. What I shall vote
against is the iniquitous and inde-
fensible system Of legislating profit
by artificial methods. / believe that
American skill and the wonderful
mechanical devices operated by
steam, water and electricity, our
nearness to the source Of supply for
the raw material makes it possible
for us to compete with the nations Of
the world"
Senator Smith said it was abso-
lutely idle to talk about the protec-
tive tariff being a benefit to the cot
ton and grain growers of America.
In support of his position, Mr.. Smith
quoted, though not by name, lead
ing manufacturer of the South who,
he said, had told him that he be-
lieyed it was right and just that the
protective feature of the tariff on
cotton goods should be entirely wip-
ed out The protection OF the Gov
ernment, asserted Mr.. Smith, giving
such a margin Of profit, has invited
and brought into the cotton manufac-
turing business "a lot Of financial
buccaneers and plungers -: oy the
marvellous profits that G. be fig
ured. possibly on paper, put on foot
impossible schemes, which have re-
suited disasterouly to the milling
industry of the country" He said
that what is true Of the cotton in
dustry is largely true OF every other
manufacturing industry.
The monstrous injustice of this
bill is made in two particulars" con-
tinued Mr. Smith. This bill de-
clares that it is for the purpose of
encouraging American industries
and guaranteeing to them a reason
able profit, while on the other hand,
in sharp contrast with it in the bill,
is incorporated a tax on the very
fertilizing element upon which the
agricultural laborer is dependent for
the enrichment Of his soil. This
ammonia, or this nitrogenous ele-
ment that is so costly and so essential
in the production of this crop, must
be taxed because of a few coke and
gas companies, who, already protect
ed and making theiEs millions, can
not be denied the privilege Of max
ing other millions out of that which
the Government ought to see that
the farmer gets at the lowest pos
sible price
During the course of his speech
| Mr.. Smith read some interesting g
figures to bear out his contention
that the protective tariff worked a
hardship upon the people Of the
South, whe, had to pay most severely
for the prosperity enjoyed by the
manufacturers The eleven cotton
growing States last year produced
S716.352,265 worth OF raw cotton,
he said, and ss0,000,000 worth Of
cotton seed. This cotton they had
to put upon the market at price
fixed by Liverpool That price was
fixed in Liverpool upon the basis
of the COST OF labor in Europe and
the price at which they sold the
finished producc-~
Therefore the whole American
cotton crop is sold upon the basis
of free trade" said Senator Smith
so that, in the cotton growing
States, according to the census fg-
ures of 1900, there are engaged in
agricultural pursuits 100000 peo-
pie, and their average earnings for
the year are s133.
Taking the outcome duties on
articles imported, such as are used
on the farms. there are consumed
about s66.357,0 900 worth. Taking
the consumption OF domestic man
ufactured goods. the proportionate
part OF the South is s2.SS5, 900.
The Indirect tax paid on this con-
sumption. due to protection, is
1855 900. 900 Now this. for the en-
tire South. regardless Of the work
engaged in. Dividing this by the
DODulatiOn OF the South the TAXATION