Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-03-04
SLEMP ADVOCATE
OF PROTECTION
VirSinia'S Sole Republican Member Of
Congress Occupies Unique Position
In HOuSe-NOFth Carolina
Sends 3 Republicans.
Special to Times-Dispatch.

Special to Dispatch.
Washington, Feb. %. Representa-
tive Campbell Bascom Slemp, of the
Ninth Virginia District, being the only
Republican here from a Southern State
on the Atlantic coast, holds an impor-
tant position in Congress. Three Re-
pubEcans come from North Carolina
after March 4. but Slemp is alone now.
Tennessee has two.
The Virginia Representative of the
House majority is an alert young fell
low, and does not mind admitting that
he is a Republican of the most pro-
nounced sort. At present he is very
much interested in two things-first,
the coming campaign in Virginia, when
the warning Democratic elements, he
thinks, will divide on the liquor ques-
ton; and, second, the revision of the
tariff, which. he declares, will have
much to do with the future industrial
development of his and other Southern
districts
In discussing the tariff prospects to-
day, Mr.. Slemp WAS outspoken. He is
for protective tariff for everything in
his State that needs it. He says that
many people. many Democrats among
them, are appealing to him to make
fight for the retention of the duties on
certain Virginia products.
"The interest manifested by the citi-
zens of Southwest Virginia, that por-
ton lying west of Roanoke city, in the
tariff revision should be very great"
said he.
THAT section of the State furnishes |
all the coal and coke, a greater ouanti-
ty of the iron, all the zinc and much of |
the chemicals from alkaline salts. pro-
duced in the entire State. 1t has great |
quantities of timber still untouched. 1t |
exports about 10000 cattle, matured in
the rich blue grass fielis, every season.
1t produces large quantities of agricult-
ural products-fruits and other crops-l
enough not only for home consumption
but sends much to other sections. 1t
has tanneries, extract plants, pulp
mills, sulphur acid plant, gypsum
works, a cotton factory on its border
line, and other industries, not to men
tion canning factories and smaller en-
terprises.
Il should say that that region of my
State and similar territory in North
Carolina, Tennessee and other Southern
States ara Ynota-;alI,, ooI ,.;A.u. -.
ested in tariff duties.
In raw resources Southwest Virgin
la is one of the richest regions on earth.
and its development is just in its infan-
cy. 1t seems to me, then, that the peo-
pie there are entitled to the protection
that other sections of the country have
had In the process of their development.
The New England manufacturers who
have been protected for generations
want cheaper coal and prefer to get it |
from Nova Scotia, thus lowering the |
price of home product. American CAPT. |
talists investing in Cuban iron ore de-
sire the duty on iron reduced. The tan
ner would reduce the tariff on hides so
SiAob Duy cheaper.
Then, Mr.. Slemp, you would retain
the tariff on these Southern products?'
said.
Personally, believe that the policy
of protection should be strictly main |
tained, not only for the benefit of the |
enterprises in our section, but in every
other part of our country. Let the du- |
ties include tobacco where needed. cot
ton cloth where required, peanuts. or
anything else which will result in great
er employment of American labor and
native resources. This is the old-fash-
ioned protective tariff =. idea and it suits
me-"
'What do you think will be the action
of the Committee on Ways and Means
on this matter?"
''No one outside of the committee
knows the result of its deliberations.
The members very wisely adopted a
policy of silence, and decline to give out
information. They will frame the bill
with due reference to the facts pre-
sented to them. 1t is generally SUD-
posed that the revenue feature must
and will be an important factor in franz
ing the schedules. AS consequence, 1
imagine, that few articles now admit
ted under tariff will be placed on the
free list.
The two ideas, therefore, tariff for
revenue and tariff for protection, will
unite to maintain many of the present
rates. OF course, it is subject of con-
troversy as whether lowering given
rate will produce a greater or lesser
amount of revenue-to determine which
many favor tariff commission of nom
partisan experts"
'Is the tariff sentiment growing in
the South, you think?"
81 am certain that it is in Virginia.
There is hardly a day passes that [ do