The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-27
Fordney of Michigan and Byrd
 of Mississippi Clash
LUMBER TARIFF IS CAUSE
Fordney Apologies After His Speech Is Concluded-He Makes Forcible Argument for Further Pro-
 lection for Lumber.

Washington, March 26-The monotony of the tariff debate in the House of Repre- sentatives was relieved for a time today by clash between Messrs. Fordney of Michigan and Byrd of Mississippi, which came near ending in blows. MT. Fordney had been making an exhaustive discussion of the lumber schedule. when he was in terrnpted by the Mississippian, who in sisted that the lumber manufacturers of which MT. Fordney was one, were in a trust MT. Fordney peremptorily denied the statement, and said that MT. Byrd did not know a damned thing about it. The Mississippi member made move toward MT. Fordney and was in the act 1 of removing his coat when some of his democratic colleagues took hold of him. 1 Later it developed that the incident grew out of misunderstanding and both men made explanations and apologies.
 MT. Fordney made notable speech on the subject of lumber and pleaded for better protection on that product in the rough. Diametrically opposed to him was MT. Rowland of Ohio, who wanted the product placed on the free list
 Others who spoke were Messrs. Pou of North Carolina and Macon of Arkansas, both of whom arraigned the Payne bill for not accomplishing what it was claimed i 1t would do, while MT. Humphrey of | Washington pleaded for tariff on shingles and lumber sufficiently high to enable the lumber and shingle manufac-r | turers of his state to compete with those i of British Columbia, employing cheap l Oriental labor
 Lumber Schedule. | MT. Fordney of Michigan, member of l the committee on ways and means, and an avowed high protectionist, discussed at length the lumber schedule. Some people, he said, had gone into mysteries over the 1 question of free lumber.
 He denied that lumber from the south ern states was going into Canada in any general quantity except long leaf | yellow pine.
 1 Mr Fordney responded to question by ] MT Bartlett of Georgia that whether the ! duty on lumber was increased, lowered ! or removed, southern lumber could not be carried into the territory north of the 1 Ohio river in competition with Canadian
 
 rates. Mr. Slayden and Hardin of Texas declared they had good reasons to believe l that lumber trust or a combination ex- ists to fix the price of lumber
 T have been i'll the lumber business I since 1 was a boy said MT. Fordney, and l have never known of lumber 1 trust"
 The cross fire of questions regarding 1 so-called lumber trust irritated MT. Ford i ney, who finally refused to answer any { more questions. Arguing for the retention | of the duty on lumber, MT. Fordney said 1 that those who appeared before the ways : and means committee to ask for free lum- ] Der have large holdings in British Co., lumbia.
 Prices Turn Downward. i MT. Fordney declared that there had 1 been a very marked downward tendency ! in the price of lumber during the past | two years and that if the duty on lumber ] should be taken off his lumber manu- ! featuring company would close it's saw 1 mill throwing 300 employees out of work ! and keeping the mill idle until better times. He said in response to a ques- | tion from MT. Ransdell of Louisiana that l much of the complaint on the present 1 lumber duty comes from the region where l timber has been cut and which have been | largely benefited by the Dingley law. i MT. Fordney admitted that most of the large timber tracts are owned by men of means who he said could afford to hold on until prices suited them. 1 Taking up hides MT. Fordney provoked applause when he said they were put on the free list of the Payne bill against | his earnest protest Mr. Fordney spoke l of determinations of Canada against American citizens and in that connection mentioned the maximum and minimum ! feature of the bill and he said, By the | hno al lanxra rvaa I annfn uya hnx ] right to strike back when she strikes us." MT. Fordney said he would like to have the tariff on cotton goods so high that | no foreigner could make shirt to wear on the back of the man in Mississippi who produced the raw cotton. He also fav- ored duty on long staple cotton of at least or 8 cents a pound to help out | that industry in the south. .I think it ! needs it." he said
 Before concluding his speech MT. Ford ney again referred to the incident with | MT. Byrd. He said he was exceedingly | sorry that he had offended the Missis- sippi member, because he had no such l intention 'I thought" he said "the gem | tleman made statement which reflected on me and that I was denying the facts in the matter He says he did not so in tend it. Therefore, I wish most humbly to apologize to him because I would of- | fend no man, either here or anywhere | else without reasonable cause I did | not intend to offend him"
 1 The next member to command the at l tention of the House was MT. Pou of North Carolina, one of the minority mem bers of the committee on ways and | means.
 Pou's Speech.
 "A place at the pie counter is desired 1 by us all," said Representative Pou in discussing the tariff bill. but I have often thought that our republican friends l get there quicker, stay longer, and are l harder to force away than any class of people on earth. Therefore rather than | lose its place In the national restau- rant, that party promised to revise your