The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-03-26

DEMOCRATS HOT E
PROTECTONISTS
AS Shown By the Hearing
To Change Schedules.
Tobacco, Lumber, Penuts and
Cotton Unrest Plead for Rate
Sufficient to Prtect Them.


the Cincinnati Enquirer, a staunch
Democratic paper as a special dis
patch from Washington, shows what
Southern Democrats really think of
Republican policies of government
when they consider them from an on
partisan and businesslike point of
view:
1t developed during the hearing on
tariff before the Committee on Ways
and Means that while the South Is
almost solidly Democratic 1t has a
thorough appreciation OF the benefits
that accrue from Republican tariff
legislation.
The idea which used to be very
prevalent and still obtains to a large
degree, that the Southern people are
generally free traders, was thorough
ly upset by the committee which was
gathering information for use in draft
ing the revision bill.
Most OF the large interest Of the
South asked not only for protection
against foreign competition. but urged
that increased duties be placed upon
articles which enter into competition
with corresponding products coming
from abroad.
Republican members Of the COM
mittee derived considerable amuse-
ment and entertainment from their
examinations of me who came up from
Dixie land, or their Representatives
in Congress, to urge that ample con-
sideration be given to the industries
agricultural or Industrial, of their
section.
The peanut growers Of Virginia ex-
htbited less bbashfulness than any 9th
er Southern interest when they ap-
peared before the committeefor they
asked that the duty on that article
be increased 300 per cent. The Vir-
ginia peanut industry completes with
the peanut from Spain and other
Southern European countries.
The present duty on unshelled pea
nuts is one-half cent a pound, and
on shelled nuts one cent a pound. The
Virginians, who were accompanied by
Representative Maynard, a sterling
Democrat, petitioned for at least four
cents pound o the shelled nuts.
No less backward than the peanut
growers were the tobacco raisers of
the Old Dominion, for representatives
of the Tobacco association at Danville
had the temerity 70 urge that the
duty on Turkish tobacco be increased
from 30 cents a pound to SLS5 a
pound. The latter is the duty impos-
ed by the Dingley tariff on Sumatra
leaf.
The tobacco men complained that
the Turkish tobacco was crowding
out the light tobaccos grown not on
ly in Virginia but also in North Car
DINA, and that tire Turkish Govern
ment VIRTUALLY prohibits the importa-
ton Of such tobacco into the Ottoman
Empire.
The Florida growers Of Sumatra
wrappers made a strong appeal for
the retention OF the duty of s1S5
a pound on tire leaf grown in the far
Eastern island They asked this con-
tinued protection on the ground that
they had expended large sums OF
money in developing the Sumatra wrap
per Industry. and explained that the
leaf they raise down in Florida was
grown from seed imported from Su-
matra.
Tney asserted that the industry was
still in its infancy and nedeed the
protection given to it by the Ding
ley act. This had tie true Republic
an ring and reminded one of the nu-
merous iafant industries which have
been the beneficiaries Of tine protec-
tive NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. such as tin
plate steel, &C., which have develop
ed into such stupendous giants.
The lumbermen Of the South Joined
with their fellows from the North in
importuning the committee to retain
the present duty OF 81 a thousand
feet on rough lumber thus again de-
monstratrating that while there is a
wide difference between the way the
North and South vote on election days
the most fraternal feeling exists when
1t comes to legislation affecting neu-
trail interests.
Incidentally it might be said, the
South now furnishes nearly one-haH
the timber cut In the United States.
las insistent as all these interests
In asking protection were the rice
growers OF the several Southern States.
which furnish the bulk of that pro-
duct. The various grades of rice are
now protected by duty ranging from
three quarters Of a cent. a pound to
two cents n pound, and the rice grow
ers protested that their industry would
be ruined II the rates were lowered