The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-04-28

ests here, driven on the river 60 miles
and put on board a car for 81. At that
time We hired men at IS cents and 81
per day. while we are paying today
from s1.75 to So for the same class Of
help Now. the position resolves itself
into this, that the lumberman will
either be compelled to shut down his
operation. leaving part of his lumber
in the woods, or else cut the price of
labor. Neither of tne threee things
are consistent with the views of the
nmbermen or Republican policies.
You notice, Mr.. President. that this
young hWbermaD-chIs young man
who possessed the esteem and conf.
dence of his fellow citizens to a sufi.
cient degree to be chosen to represent
them in our State legislature-empha.
sizes two facts, first, that today lum.
bermen are paying 81 to get lumberO
taken from the stump on board a car
a distance of two miles. while ten
years ago white pine was cut from the
forests in the same locality, driven on
the river for 60 miles and put on board
a car for 81, He emphasizes the fact
that at that time NE nwere hired for
IS cents and 81 a day. while at the
present time for the oulle class OF Ia.
Dor s1.T5 to So per day is being paid.
The second point that he emphasizes
is that if this tariff is reduced. or
placed on the free list, there is nothing
left for the American lumbermen but
to cut wages. Mr.. President. this
young mar is a wage Garner himself:
he sees the inevitable. Are we ready
to say 10 the lumbermen all over the
country that the Republican party
stands for a cut in. their wages of so
or GO per cent?
l might extend these illustrations
and examples to an extent that wouId
become wearisome to this body. All
these statements come from men who
are vitality interested-the manufac.
turer as we'll as the wage Garner: men
who know what they want and what a
reduction ear They are men of nv
own State. and their expressions is
only the sentiment OF the entire sout7,
for to me have come resolutions ex.
pressing similar views passed by lum
bermen and chambers of commerce all
over the Southland. can only say, as
said on the coal tarr. and ~reiterate
1t more strongly, l can stand for nc re.
diction in the tariff on lumber.
snail work against It and I shall vote
against It.
After discussing coal and lumber.
Senator Scott spoke on iron and steel
Hides, Wool, OIL and Potteries, closing
with the following;
So. Mr.. President, have ~endeayor.
ed to point out some of the changes
in this bill the business interests of
the country demand. The business
interests of West Virginia are identi.
cal with the business interests of Other
States. These are anxious to 60
ahead. Factories must be In opera.
ton the mills mur be running full,
the farmer planting or reaping mis-
crops in n State as I'm all. All these
benefits would be ours now had It not
been for the uncertainty regarding
This tariff bill. THIS is why l object
to any revision. 1t is anticipation of
cuts Of duties that have upset our bus.
mess conditions. THE question OF re.
vision came up in 1905 and the demon.
alization Of trade soon followed. II
always does follow tariff tinkering.
After this measure becomes a law
fear trade conditions will be unsettled
for many months. Everyone will be
waiting to see the effect it will have
on different commodities; how the re.
duction will affect steel, iron, and all
the great industries I have mentioned.
and until this is known we can not
look for the prosperity that we other.
wise would have had.
The panic of 1907, it has been claim
ed, was responsible for a greater mum.
Der OF business failures than in any
one of the years 1Sss.1ss5, during the
Democratic administration, when that
Darty had oil the branches OF the gov
eminent. True. perhaps. in one sense.
but the 1907 was a rich mans panic,
and they were tae losers. while the
1SsS4.5 was the poor mans panic, as
he could not get work r anything to
eat It was the anticipation Of thu
fact thai the Democratic party was
going ! .passa ne wtariff bill In thoss
~ t fflEft