The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-19
1IllMAA'S Vote ON IRON ORR.
SENATOR EXPLAINS WHY HE
VOTED FOR TARIFF ON IT.
says the Duty VIII Not Make Price ~
manufactured Product Higher

washington, June Ex-senator
Iiiiman has given out the following
letter of inquiry about his vote for
tariff on iron ore and his reply:
Williston, S. c., MAY 27. 1900
senator b. r. Tillman, Washington.
D. C.
Lear Senator:-Having always been
a Tlllmanite" at the ballot box. I am
emboldened to ask if you have ever
stated your reasons for voting for a
DUTY on iron ore, and if such state
ment is in print that you will send r.
to me. I am curious to know why.
Yours truly,
w. c. Smith.
DR.. w. G. Smith,
Williston, S. c.
MY Dear Friend:--Your letter of
| May u has remained unanswered
simply because I have been over
whelmed with work here, and have
spent several days in South Carolina
looking after matters at Clemson. and
lost one day as returned by reason
| Of railroad wreck.
| 1 have never printed anything
about my vote on iron ore, and will
very gladly give you an explanation
direct. I notice that my old enemies
are making a great howl about my
votes up here. while many others
who have not been enemies are yelp-
ing 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 Republican party,
and are garbled and condensed and
give no adequate conception of things
as they really happen.
The facts in regard to iron ore are
simply these: There is overwhelming
evidence that there are no independ-
ent steel or iron producers. The steel
trust has absolute control and enjoys
a monopoly of the iron and steel busi-
ness in this country. The so-called in
dependent concerns are dominated
and controlled by it, though not all
owned by it. The steel trust fixes
prices and the others conform.
There are immense, well-nigh mex.
haustible deposits of iron ore in Mich
isan. Wisconsin and Minnesota, and
the steel trust controls immense de.
posits in these States. 1t also controls
or some of its subsidiary companies
do, large deposits in Cuba. 1t wa:
brought out in the debate that somt
of the eastern companies have con.
tracts with the Cuban mine owners tc
import not less than a million tons q
year of Cuban ore, and do not think
it worth while to let this come in free
when it would make no difference
whatever to the consumers of iror
and steel as to the price we would pay
for these articles. 1 believe that the
American producer of iron and stee
(that is, the steel trust mainly car
compete with England, Germany an6
France in the markets of the world
and that the whole scheme of protec-
ton of manufactured steel is bare.
faced robbery of the American peo-
pie. No one but an idiot will contend
that the duty on iron ore will increase
the price of anything manufactured
we could reduce the tariff on manu-
featured iron we could get cheaper
prices, but under existing circum-
stances the tariff law bars out the
European competitor who is already
handicapped by having the ocean
fl eights to pay, and our people are
charged the cost of production in Eu-
rope. plus the sfreight, 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, l am
Sicerely yours,
B. r. TILLM AN.
1