The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-06-01
EXPOSE PROTECTION
SENATOR SMITH SPEAKS ON THE
TARIFF.
south Carolinian, Discussing the Cot
ton Schedule. shows the Opera
tion Against Farmer OF
The Republican Bill.

| Washington, May 3l.-~Denouncins
| the pending tariff as giving the man
ufacturer an undue advantage over the
American workingInan, Senator Smith,
of South Carolina, unequivocally ex-
| pressed his belief in a free trade pol
| icy In an extended speech while the
| cotton schedule was under considera-
| ton in the Senate today.
1.-THE whole tendency of this legis-
Iation has been to cheaper the raw
material and raise the price OF the mn
| ished article" said Mr.. Smith. there
by giving to the protected manurac-
turers a great advantage, lessentng the
price OF what he has to buy and rails
ing the price of what he has to sell.
I am not pleading for. nor shall vote
for protection for the raw material.
/ believe thing IL worth what 1t will
bring in the open markets OF the world.
What shall vote against is the iniqui-
tous and indefensible system Of legis-
! lating a profit by Artificial methods
| the wonderful mechanical devices, OPP
Grated by steam. water and electricity.
our nearness to the source Of supply
for the raw material makes 1t possible
for us to compete with the nations OF
the world"
Senator Smith said II is idle to talk
about the protective tariif being a BEN
euL To Tie COIlOn anu grain HTOWeEc
OF America. In support OF his position
Mr.. Smith quoted, though not by name.
leading manufacturer of the South"
who, he said, had told him that he be-
lieved It was right and just that the
protective feature OF the tariff on cot
ton goods should be completely wiped
out. The protection of the govern
ment, asserted Mr.. Smith, giving us u
margin OF profit, has invited ana
hTntAohf NnNn "a Vrno 60 k,. ,4,,
business "a lot of financial buccaneers
and plungers, who. by the marvellous
profits that could be figured, possibly
| on paper, put on foot impossible sched-
| ules which have resulted disastrously
4 to the milling interests OF the country"
He said that what is true of the cot
ton industry is largely true OF every
other manufacturing industry.
+ 'The monstrous injustice of this bill
Is made clear in two particulars" con-
tinued Mr. Smith. 'This bill declares
that 1t is for the purpose of encourage
ing American industries and guarantee
ing them reasonable profit, while on
the other hand, in sharp contrast with
1t. in the bill is Incorporated a tax
on the very fertilizing element upon
which the agricultural laborer Is de-
| pendent for the enrichment of his soil.
This ammonia. or the heterogeneous ell
ement that is so costly and SO essen
tial in the production of this crop.
must be taxed because a few coke and
| gas companies who, already protected
| and making their millions, cannot be
denied the privilege of making other
millions out Of that which the Govern
ment ought to see that the farmer gets
the lowest price possible"
Mr.. Smith said 1t was not only true
that the Southern cotton farmer had
| to pay about SO q ton more to pro-
duce his cotton for fertilizer in order
to give a little additional profit to an
already protected industry, but he must
also pay a duty on his bagging and
ties in order to build UP a bagging in
dustry on American sofl where no jute
material was produced, and. on the 9TH
| er hand, to add to the profits of the
| great steel trust
Declaring that Mr.. Roosevelt's life
commission (which toured the rural
districts last fall" either proved that
for once he (Mr. Roosevelt) did not
| give evidence of that injustice that
| characterized him or he was attempt
| ing to deceive the rural people with a
show Of interest he did not feel.
| Mr.. Smith bitterly asked who is
such a DOL but what must know that
fno man is going to take UP a voca-
tion, the profits Of which must go by
law into the pockets OF those not en-
titled to them"