The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-29
OLD BEN GOT MAD
With Mccumber's Tactics and
Voted Wrong.
TILLMAN EXPLAINS

why He Voted With the Repub-
licans Against Free Lumber-Had
He Not Been So Tired and
Thinking More Clearly Would
Have Voted for Free Lumber.
Zach McGee in his letter to Ihe
State says Senator Tillman's vote Tor
a duty on lumber Monday against
the unqualified declaration for Tree
lumber in the Denver platform was
a great surprise here. A short while
before the vote was taken IN tne
senate Senator Tillman arose, inter-
rupting Senator Burkett Of Nebras-
ka and said:
"Mr. President, will the senator
from Nebraska inform me why 1t ls'
although We were told the otner
day that there were only five razor
manufacturers in this country, that
$4,000, 900 Americans were compel-
led to pay those five fellows q trlo-
ute and increase the price OF razors
If Won are going to put lumber on
the free list. l am going to vote to
nut lumber on the free list, but
lust wanted to understand the con-
tradictions in the reasoDings and the
arguments on that subject if pos
sible."
That was not strange, for the
senior South Carolina senator along
with the junior senator had declar-
ed time and time again that he was
going to vote for free lumber. Just
before the vote was taken Senator
Bailey made one of his bold, en-
phatic speeches, in which he said
he utterly refused to be bound by
the Denver platform on lumber be-
cause he said it was "undemocratic'
and loudly declared in effect that no
man was Democrat who voted for
free lumber.
Immediately after Bailey sat dowa
the vote was taken and Tillman had
for some reason changed his mind
for he voted against the free lum-
Der amendment. Senator Smith, as
stated in the dispatch of Monday,
was paired with Senator Warren OF
Wyoming. He stated he would vote
for free lumber if Mr.. Warren was
present.
Senator Tillman Explains.
w. Sinkler Manning, Washington
correspondent of the Columbia Rec
ord, in his letter Wednesday says
ITO me Mr.. Tillman explained that
his vote came from displeasure at the
maneuvering Of Senator McCumber,
and not from any change in regard
to the duty itself. Shortly before
the McCumber amendment was voted
on, Mr.. Tillman had supported the
Johnston amendment, putting all
building materials on the free list,
and as long as Mr.. McCumber left
his amendment, removing from the
dutiable list all kinds of lumber,
Mr.. Tillman said that he had intend
ed to vote with him. At the last
moment, however, in an attempt to
strengthen his cause, Mr.. McCumber
modified his amendment leaving GER
tain cheaper grades of lumber under
a duty of so cents.
81 just got disgusted with that
kind of monkey business, said Mr..
Tillman, and decided to vote against
the whole thing. If the lumber
schedule had come up today l in
tended to offer an amendment put
ting the whole paragraph on the free
list, and I may do so yet just as
a matter Of record. But there is
no chance of passing such an amend
ment; half the Democrats are vot-
ing the other way. l was very tired
at the time, but if had been think
ing more clearly perhaps I would
have contented myself with getting
what l could and voted for the Nc
Cumber half-hearted proposition.
But l was too disgusted just then"
A Further Explanation.
Zach McGee, in his letter to The
State, says Senator Tillman stated
Wednesday that when he said on
the floor of the senate Monday
that he was going to vote for lumber
on the free list he meant it, and that
he voted against Senator McCum-
ber's motion only because ut did
not include all lumber, but left GER
tain kinds Of sawed lumber and some
other kinds dutiable at SO cents a
thousand. Senator McCumber just
before the Vote was taken arose
and said:
Il wish to amend my amendment
so that it will be limited somewhat.
''I move to strike out all after the
word measure in line s, paragraph
1877, down to and including the rest
of the paragraph That simply
leaves the paragraph reading sawed
boards, planks. deals, sycamore and
Eastwood, so cents per thousand
feet board measure.
The rest of the paragraph, whia'l
Mr. McCumber propo. ed to strike
.,at, was sawed lumber, not specia.
l.