Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-29
SAYS LABOR IS MS FIRST THOUGHT
Denies That lumbermen Are Making
Money-Diversion Created ~
Taunts From Republican sids-ea-
cen Rerudiates Democratic Plat
form.
(Bv Associated Press.)

t1S ASSUCldteQ
WASHINGTON. ID. C.. April 2S-s
Senator Simmons, OF North Carolina,
during the discussion OF the tariff
measure In the Senate to-day. said
lumber and It's products represented
the principal industry OF IL states.
affecting more than 1000 cities which
were largely dependent upon u. he
opposed the proposed reduction In the
duty on lumber. principally. he said,
because labor constituted . larger efe.
ment In the cost Of producing lumber
than in The cost 81 PRODUCING any
other manufactured prodtict, and fur
Their, that lumber WAS competitor
with some Of the articles which added
to the ccst Of its production.
How He Figures II Out.
Il submit" he said, that there can
be no more cruel repression Of al
industry than by law adding thirty
por cent to the cost OF its produc-
ton, and then forcing It into ccui-
petition sn the one hand ydth IN.
foreign product which, on account OK
the difference In labor COST. ata,mpaxs
cost and the cost Of ,trauRpQrta1.y9k
lean be produced ut thirty per cant
less and. On the otner hand, Aorcing
. competition with product Of rnr
own country, the price OF which has
been enhanced thirty per cent by the
protective tariff.
How do you square your advo.
cacy OF q tariff .m lumber with, the
declaration Of the national Democratic
platform Of 1857 Mr.. Dixon, Mon
tana, inquired.
Platform Not Ia Way.
Mr.. Simmons asserted that there
was no difficulty about that That
platform, he maintained. declared for
t.riff for revenue. and he did MOI
believe the Dingley rate on lumber
was mere thin a revenue rate.
Why single out this industry for
determination and slsuehterr 10
asked. Such action. he said, could
not be justified except upon grounds
and reasons Of extreme necessity sn6
Overwhelming urgency. But he did
not believe that such reasons existed.
I'm this connection. Mr.. SimGn0ns tO06
occasicn 10 announce that he W1s rot
a free trader. 9
Mr.. Hale interjected che obeerva.
ktt>n that during the operation a to
Wilson German law free lumber bad
flooded the ports ans. market SaaceS
Of New England and even extenAsd
to the ports Of the Chesapeake. Toe
result was, he said, . complete pros
tration e the lumber Industry Of the
United States for the benefit q The
Canadian producer.
While agreeing In Shs IDaja That
such was the case, Mr.. Simmons de-
clared he did not think . one dollar
or two dollar tar on lumber wcald
have much effect except during pr
lois Of great depression.
says Lumber 10 cheap.
Mr. Simmons declared IL was not
true that the prices Of lumber had
been fabuSSusly high. In most empbat-
ic terms he also denied that my
great fortunes had been made In
manufactured lumber in the United
States. ~
Certainly ncne are being maAe
nov. ne said. Up TO the time q tDe
panic. he said. the percentage q a.
crease in the Srice Of lumber had
been gres er than that of okher art
icles. but that since then humber 6aA
been selling for thirty PEI cent less.
He ccntended that the lumbermaa hal
not beerl as Fortunate n the fsrDr,
who he said. vas getting high prices
f,r his products.
Mr.. Simmons asserted Sha; the b1e
purchaser In the South q meoee. corn.
hay and wheat from the west. 49,
the saw mil; lsborer.
Those so0.voo men, ne sid, "seeA
1000. 600 q mouths and clothe 3yoee..
coo backs and n you cheaVea lu0her
and succeed In enabling the Cansliaa
TO drive the ScutbeSn manufacturers
out q their markets. you yin = u
by parsiyix.rz che psrchastag yowep
q your best custo0efs-
Sspro~siss Repsei,ess esssssem.
TIE Democratic pafHun3 paaes0D