Evening star., 1909-04-27
SPEAKS FOR THE SOUTH
Change of Sentiment in That Section
on the Tariff.
WEST vIRGINIA's PROGRESS
Declares That But for the Benefits
of Protection His State Would
Be a Wilderness.

4 uecIdTeu lndC lie Oiu SD tIe Stduu-
point of it's effect on the south in general.
ard on West Virginia in particular. +.
Scott submitted an interesting series of
statistics to show the progress that had
been made by West Virginia and the
south along many lines of industry, and
declared his own belief that if it mad
not been for the benefits of the protective
tariff system his state would today be a
wilderness, instead of one of the most
thriving Industrial centers of the country.
"Mr. President, ! do not wish the Sem
ate called to order" said Senator Scott
upon beginning his speech, when Vice
| President Sherman undertook to main
tain quiet in the chamber. Il do not
expect this argument to change a vote"
added Mr.. Scott, land consequently I am
entirely Indifferent whether senators re-
| tire to the lobbies or indulge in conversa-
tion, because do not care whether they
| listen to my remarks or not
1.-The chair does care replied Mr.
| Sherman.
Mr.. Scotts remarks were listened to
! by many senator's. who gave him strict
attention.
Mr.. Scott insisted that when Congress
is through with the enactment of a new
| tariff law I'VE will not have nearly SO
good bill, in my judgment. as the pres
ent Dingley law" He said that his Sec
| tion Of the country has profited from the
| tariff In the past and will profit more
| in the future.
How Sentiment Changes.
New England. for instance. profited
| in the past" said Mr.. Scott. Now she
| is ready for a downward revision OF the
| tariff and for free coal IL she can get
it. But the southland sees ahead of her
| nothing but prosperity under a protective
| tariff. She has developed more rapidly in
manufactures than any other portion of
our country
til conditions changed in Massachusetts.
As 1t became evident that that state was
to become a manufacturing state, he be-
came strong protectionist. On the other
hand, Calhoun. who believed that the
south was to be manufacturing part of
the country. was strong protectionist.
but when he found the south had turned
to agriculture and New England to manu-
| facture he also changed his position and
| became a free-trader. This. suggested
Mr.. Scott, explains the change of front
| on the part of southern statesmen in re-
spect to the tariff. The 100000 acres
of West Virginia coal land, he said, can
supply the markets of the United States
y
present rate of production. He pointed
out the richness of his state in Oil, natural
gas, sandstone, potter's and fire clay, and
| that West Virginia has the largest pot
| terry factory in the world. Mr.. Scott re-
ferred also to West Virgnia's valuable
| iron ore. forests and many other sources
of natural wealth.
Il believe. and the great majority Of
| the raw material and cheap fuel would
| st..i be lying undeveloped in our noun
| tains, and valleys. had 1t not been for
| protective tariff" said Mr.. Scott.
I'm addition" he said. Ito the proposed
change in tariff rates, West Virginia is
threatened with a traffic arrangement al
most shutting her out Of the market
Lying almost half way between the lakes
and the seabOard, Ohio and Illinois on
the north and Pennsylvania on the east
can reach either of these shipping points
with shorter haul than can West Vir-
ginia.
when the railroad rate bill was before
Congress ! suggested that 1t was only a
| question of time, il the policy being in
augurated were followed, until a fixed
| charge per ton per mile would be the es-
| tablished rate in this country. l fear
| that we are rapidly approaching this
| condition. So, with freight discrimination
and tariff discrimination, can 1t be won
| dered that my state is up in arms and
that l am besieged by letters and tele-
| grams begging for relief"
| EHect on Coal Industry.
Mr.. Scott insisted that 81 cents ton on
| coal, provided by the Payne bill, was a
small duty. But in making the ton a
long ton. and in providing for counter
vailing duty. a great injustice had been
done that industry.
| I am utterly and absolutely opposed to
countervailing duty said Mr. Scott.
Il think an American Congress is able to
pass an American law to govern an
American industry. Further than that,
the countervailing or reciprocal clause is
delusion and a snare 1t is in the in
terest of a few coal operators located near
| the Canadian border and in the interest
of New England. The remainder of the
| entire country would suffer, and yery
| grieyously." Mr.. Scott said that during
| the late coal famine the Canadian off,
| Gals were ordered to save their coal for
their own people. and not to send 1t into
| the United States. and the Canadian rail-
roads put up their rates.
| Yet he added. I'VE are to give to
| these people the right to say when our
| shall remain on. Not while have a voice
and a vote"
Free Lumber and Lower Wages.
Speaking of the lumber industry Of
West Virginia. Mr.. Scott said that even
by the Dingley law, Canada exported to
the United States four times as much
lumber as the United States exported to
Canada. Forty-eight per cent Of all the
| lumber manufactured In the United
States, he added, is produced in the
south, so that the south Is affected to the
| extent of One-haif of the cut made in
| lumber. If this tariff is reduced or IL
lumber is placed the free list. Mr..
Scott asserted. there Is nothing left for
| the American lumberman to do but to
cut wages.
Lower wages also. he said, would fol-
low cuts of the tariff rates in the iron
other way in which to get down the costs
of such products. He said that only a
few furnaces would be benefited by hav-
ing free iron ore. while the great major
ity would suffer. He said his state was
interested in the iron industry because Ii
furnishes coal to the furnaces that re-
duced the ore
So long as the tariff on leather, shoes
and articles manufactured of leather Is
retained. said Mr.. Scott. no benefit would
accrue to the consuming public by plac-
ing hides on the free list. Such action
would result, he said in reducing the cost
of a pair OF shoes just three cents. Sucn
action would result in a loss of from two
and cattle raisers In West Virginia put
on the market.
Since the Dingley bill became a law
West Virginia had grown in wool raising
by leaps and bounds. He wanted the
wool schedule to remain as it now is
I'm which event he declared that West vir-
ginia would become one of the great