The Huttig news., 1909-06-26
FOR TARIFF ON LUMBER.
r. I. Whlted Answers aa Editorial Headed
 Humber and the Masses"
To the Editor of The Times.

i o the Edltor ot he llmeS.
 Under the above heading an editorial appeared in the Shreveport Times of May 28, advocating free lumber and at tacking the lumber interest. especially of Louisiana, rather severely.
 1 Quite number of editorials have ap- peared in The Times before and since touching the same subject. but nothing which have notice has shown quite so much bitterness as the editorial referred to. s
 Men differ honestly on questions of public policy just as they differ in relig ious views and probably always will but because they differ it does rot follow either is insincere, and if sincere the. views of neither can be changed by the use of bitter denunoiations and abuse. The writer of this article is interested in the manufacture of lumber in Lousi- ana, but is also Southern man and a Democrat, has always voted the Demo- cratic ticket and intends to continue to do so as long as the question which over shadows all others in the South remains unsettled and renders it absolutely necessary and of grave importance that the white mans party shall be undi- vided
 1 ho very different views, however. to those enunciated by The Times in the article referred to- l am not in favor of free trade
 l 1 believe in a tariff for revenue be- cause think it the most equitable wa to obtain the necessary funds to meet the expenses of the Government. and think the tariff should be applied to such com modites as are revenue producers. l fail to see. therefore, any sound reason for singling out the one article of lumber from the long list of protected commodi- ties and putting it on free list.
 Lumber and wood products produced ast year in the neighDorhood of $5 .0oo. 900 of revenue on basis of S2 pc, thousand duty or about per cent adva forum as against protective duty of 4t per cent advalorum average on other commodities.
 What right pray. had the framers oi the Democratic platform of last year to single out this one commodity and de- clare it the policy of the Democratic party that all duty should be taken off lumber9 Was the interest of a very large portion of the South. including thousands of the laboring classes and mechanics interest in the manufacture of lumber consulted2 Were the business men who have their fortunes. directly or indirectly, invested in this industry heard on the subject2 It seems not. ye fhe Denver convention did in a singl' [ kiGbt what the Congres3 of ths unitel States has been unable to do in tw, months. and in all probability will not do namely, put lumber on the free list Is it not quite probable the same hand which wrote free lumber into the Denver platform also wrote the free silver plank m the Chicago platform. or at least tho
 
 , same mind conceived both policies ano we read again today the same partisai attacks on our public men who are en deavoring to guard the interest of thelt constituents, as we did twelve years ago like attacks against the great men of ou, party who saw the fallacy of the free silver movement and had the courage t. oppose it.
 While there seems no sound reason fol inserting the free lumber plank in the Denver platform the motive is obvious
 The measure was conceived by the able and cunning mind of certain polite ans who thought to catch the vote of the Western farmer, knowing full we'll that no matter how injurious such measure would prove to the South and it's i'm mense lumber industry and being fully aware of the fact that the lumber industry is now very largly confined to the Southern States, these politicians felt sure of the Southern Dem ocratic vote, thus taking advantage of the devotion of the South to it's party and sacrificing one of it's chief industries to satisfy the ambition of few politicians
 The result was the South marched up to altar as solidly as ever.. but the shrewd Western farmer has learned something in the last few years and did not deliver his vote as it was anticipated he would do.
 The Times refers to the masses who will be greatly benefited by having lum- Der put on the free list. Let us see who the masses are who will be benefited at the expense of Louisiana's industry. Statistics show only about z per cent of the lumber manufactured in our State is used within the State and of this small percentage the railroads consume about one-fourth. The trades, such as sash. doors. box and furniture factories use about onefourth. Only about one half of the per cent used within the State | ..xt~ f--.. L...1