The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-06
WANTS FREE TRADE
ON LUMBER AND ON COTTON
TIES AND BAGGING.
Senator Tillman Says the Sap Of
Protection is Not Worth What 1t

Protection is Not Worth What 1t
Costs Democracy.
A special dispatch to the Colum-
bia Record says Senator Tillman fav-
ors free trade in lumber and will
vote for it. He believes that in the
end Democratic defections from the
declarations of the party platform
will give the victory to those Repub-
licans desiring a duty, but he eX-
presses himself as far from the opin-
ion that such a forecast justifies
Democrats in falling into line with
the party in power. A vote for pro-
tected lumber, in his opinion, is
vote against forest preservation and
also a vote against the claims OF
Democracy to control the house OF
representatives two years hence and
the whole country after President
Taft's term.
whats the use Of hurrahing
round the country for the safeguard
ing of our forests, he said, when
you are crying at the same time for
duty on lumber that will keep
foreign timber from coming IN
sparing our own trees for the next
generation? You have seen the de-
struction of our forests in the past
few Nears. Now, importation ea
lumber from Canada would save
some of our trees from being cut,
while this duty they are demanding
keeps the foreign lumber out and
makes us cut down our own for
ests."
With forests as far away from the
Southern pine fields as Canada, Sen
ator Tillman does not believe the
free importation of lumber couin
affect the profits of South Carolina
, mills. while it might materially lower
th, price of lumber to the consumer.
AS t. who owns the South Carolina
standing timber he is not certain,
though he is inclined to agree with
Senator Nelson that part OF 1t at
least is in the hands Of Michigan
corporations and holders In the far
Northwest. It is through the infiu-
ence of these Northwestern men that
the price of lumber in South Carolina
would be raised under protective
duty, though in the local field a
tariff Of itself have no such effect.
"Two-thirds of the white people OF
South Carolina" said Mr.. Tillman,
live above Columbia. Nearly all
the yellow pine and every bit of the
loblolly is below Columbia. Now,
why should I vote to impose higher
cost upon those People up there when
they want to build houses and
barns?"
Senator Tillman was sitting in the
room of the committee on the five
civilized tribes, of which he Is chair
man, when ] found him to ask about
the tariff. He was barrcaded behind
a pile of books, all of sombre bind
ing. the most dashing of which was
entitled "1'he Romance Of Steel, y
a volume telling of the manufacture
Of iron in the melodramatic fashion
of a treatise on chemistry.
81 am trying to find ont something
obout cotton ties" said the senator,
"and there seems to be lot of it.
In regard to cotton hagging, there
is apparently reasonable hope that
Senator Aldrich will let that go on
the free list, if the Southern Demo-
Gratis work together for that end
hut on ties. while Senator Aldrlch
has asked Mr.. Tillman for informa-
tion. he exrrcssed himself as doubt
ing his ability to grant the request.
The senator from Rhode Island. said
Senator Ti'lman. was under the I'M
nression that ties are made chiefly
in Chattanooga, birmingham and
othcr centres near the Southern
mines and he felt that ample protec-
tion ought to he accorded these new
manufacturing districts on an article
like ties for which they would nave
large local demand.
It was to meet that objection that
Senator Tillman devoted himself To
light literature Of the Romance OF
steel" sort. The information ne
found encouraging. Ties. ne dls-
norornl arc manufactured almost
exclusively in Pittsburg ana the """h'
iron and steel centres Of the North
thoro being only ono small nlant al
Atlanta. The fact that ties are MADE
hv nlants turning out enormous
nuantities CT other steel goods, ai'
heavily protected leads Senator TIL
man TO hope that Mr.. Aldrich Will
consent to a removal Of the duty.
GOV. McSWEENEY ILL.