Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-21
Plan of Aldrich to Take Southern
Product Off of Free List in the
Payne Tariff Bill Defeated by
Southern Senators.
TILLMAN, BACON, MONEY
TAKE HAND IN DEBATE
IN RUNNING SPEECHES
Tillman Tells Smoot That Whoev-
er Told Him Southern Negro
Feared Competition in Cotton
Patch and Oil Mill Lied.
By Ralph Smith

Especial Dispatch to The Journal)
WASHINGTON, May 2O.-A committee
amendment imposing a duty of three
cents a gallon on cotton seed oil precip-
itated a lively debate in the senate this
afternoon. Chairman Aldrich, of the fl
! nance committee, proposed the amend
ment as a new section to the bill and in
stantly southern senators sat up to take
notice. Senators Tillman. Bacon and
Money interposed serious objection to the
amendment, and Senator Beveridge also
offered opposition. Senator Smoot Joined
Aldrich. in trying to defend the commit
tees action.
Because of the unanimous objection
from the south and the prolonged debate
that was threatened, Aldrich finally with
drew the amendment, and cotton seed oil
will remain on the free list.
HE LIED" SAYS TILLMAN.
The present law places a duty Of four
cents a gallon on cotton seed oil The
Payne bill placed the product on the free
list and the finance committee left 1t
in this shape until today, when Aldrich
offered the committee amendment for
three cents a gallon.
Smoot, in explaining the action of the
committee, said it was feared that the
pauper labor of Europe would come in
cmpetition with the free labor of the
south He said he had been so informed.
well, anybody who told you that lied
and he knew he was lying when he said
it," exclaimed 11llman. THE idea of any
labor competing with the negro. labor of
the south in making cotton and cotton
seed is preposterus."
DANIEL MAKES SPEECH.
''I want to protect American interests.
That is my policy, l don't care what
name you call it, / am for it."
This was the statement with which John
w. Daniel, of Virginia, today began a
speech in the senate in support of a high
duty on quebracho, which is a chestnut
bark extract used in tanning and which
is produced in his state. The senate COM
mittee on finance has reduced the house
rate and he wanted the house figure re-
tanned.
The Virginia senator's attitude aroused
much interest on the Republican side of
the chamber and Mr.. Aldrich gave es-
pecial attention to his remarks. at times
nodding a smiling assent to the PROPOSE
ton of the Virginia senator.
VOICE FROM THE SOUTH.
A voice from the south offsetting the
protective declarations of Mr.. Daniel
Came promptly from Mr.. Smith, of South
term in the senate. His theme was the
evil of destroying the forests and water
sheds of the Carolinas and Virginia by
stripping the bark from the chestnut tree
for the purpose of manufacturing que
vracho extract. Recent destructive floods
in his state, he said, had resulted from
tripping the uplands and mountains of
their forests.
Incidentally Mr.. Smith discussed what
he declared were the inequalities of the
protective tariff system. The preserva-
ton of the forests, he contended, was
more important than the encouragement
of an industry in products for which sub
stitutes could be obtained cheaply from
abroad. Destroy the forests, he argued,
and the great cotton crop of the south
would be endangered.
SIMMONS TAKES A HAND.
Following the senator from South Caro-
lima, Mr.. Simmons, of the Old North
State, retorted in support of the principles
favored by Mr.. Daniel. He denied that
the forests were being denuded by either
the tanbark extract industry or by the
making of wood pulp.