The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-19
Says Duty OF Iron Ore viii Not
Hurt Consumers.
TlLLMAN'S LETTER
The Senator in Reply to Letter
From a Citizen of WilIiston, Stat
ed His Reasons for Voting for a
Daty on ore-Claims There Are
no independents"
no 'Independents."

no independents"
Senator Tillman has just received
Ietter from w. C. Smith, of Will
liston, asking the Senator to explain
why he voted for duty on iron ore
This letter is as follows:
"Williston, May 9th. 1909.
Seaator B. R. Tillman, Washing
ton. D. C.-Dear Senator. Having
.lways been "Tillmanite' at the
,a,lot box, I am emboldened to ask
if.you have ever stated your reaso'A
for voting for duty on iron ore
sn,, if suci statement is in pria:.
that you VII! send it TO me. am
curious to know why. Yours tFuiy
"W. C. SMITH"
To which Senator Tillman replied:
"Your letter of May 9th has re-
manned unanswered simply because
7 have been overwhelmed with work
here, and have spent several days IN
South Carolina, looking after mat
tors at Clemson, and lost one day as
I returned by reason OF a raliroad
wreck.
~ have never printed anything
about my vote on iron ore. and Will
very gladly give you an explanation
direct. l notice that my OLD enc
mics are making a great howl about
nv votes up here, while many oth-
ers who have not been enemies are
yeiping in chorus, simply because
they are ignorant of conditions. The
trouble with many editors in South
Carolina, is they take and read the
Associated Press dispatches, which
are colored in behalf OF the Repu0-
.lican party, and are garbled and
condensed, and give 40 adequate
conception OF things as they really
happen.
The facts in regard to iron ore are
simply these: There is overwhel-
ming evidence that there are no in
dependent steel or iron producers.
The Steel Trust has absolute control
and enjoys a monopoly of the iron
and steel business in this country
The so-called independent concerns
are dominated and controlled by it.
though not all owned by it. The
Steel Trusts fixes prices and the
others conform.
There are immense, well-night
inexhaustible deposits Of iron ore in
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
and the Steel Trust controls i'm
mense deposits in those States. 1t
also controls, or some of its SUBJ
sidary, companies do, large deposits
in, Cuba. 1t was brought out in the
debate, that some Of the Eastern
companies have contracts with the
Cuban mine owners, to import not
less than a million tons a year of
Cuban ore, and I do not think it
worth while to let this come in free
when it would make no difference
whatever to the consumers Of iron
anu StSCi as W tiiE "a We .NohiN
pay for those articles. believe that
the American producers OF iron and
steel (that is the Steel Trust main
ly), can compete with England. Ger
many and France in the markets Of
the world, and that the whole scheme
Of protection Of manufactured steel
is bare faced robbery of the Amer
ican people. No one but an idiot
will increase the price of anything
manufactured of iron. to the Ameri-
can consumer. If We could reduce
the tariff on manufactured iron we
could get cheaper prices. but under
existing circumstances the tariff law
bars out the European competitor.
who is already handicapped by hay
ing the ocean freights to pay and
our people are charged the cost of
production in Europe, plus the
freight. plus the tariff. and this is
the source of Carnegie's millions
Assuring you Of my high apprecia-
ton of your friendship in the past.
and hoping to continue to merit your
confidence. and support, am.
Sincerely yours.