Evening star., 1909-05-23
Opposition to Free Lumber.

senting lumber-producing constituencies,
controverted the theory that the Ameri
can lumber supply Is rapidly diminishing.
IF believed what the senator from
North Dakota has told us I would be In
fear that the human family would freeze
to DEATH. declared Senator Hepburn. in
opening his appeal.
Citing various articles used in the lum-
ber industry that are manufactured in
the east, together with the personal sup
plies OF the employees of the lumber
camps. Mr.. Hepburn asserted that the
business generally Is dependent upon
the sale of lumber and affects other
parts of the country as well as 1t does
the states In which the forests are To-
Gated.
lumbermen are distributed to the various
industries throughout the country. Mr..
Hepburn declared that the reduction of
the duty would result In q condition such
as he witnessed in 1896, when. he said.
the lumber mills In the northwest closed
down for a period Of three years.
Mr. Hepburn defended the miners
against the charge that they are respon-
sible for forest fires.
''The poor prospector and immigrant
are charged with starting these flres,"
he said. ''but most OF them are started
by lightning" After detailing the work
Of the lumber associations in fighting
fires, he declared land yet these are the
men who are denounced as the vandals
Upon taking his seat Mr.. Hepburn said
he would resume his speech toporrow.
McCumber's Contention.
Mr.. McCumber insisted that nothing
had been presented to the Senate to show
the incorrectness of his claim that free
lumber would prevent the price Of that
article from mounting too high and too
rapidly, but would not reduce Its price
Of today. So far as production Of farm
products was concerned, he said. every
article produced on the farm required
more expended energy than any other
class of product.
Illustrating the profits OF the farmer
as compared with the profits of other
occupations. Mr.. McCumber cited the
price Of q bushel Of tomatoes as 25
cents.
tomatoes in bushel. and when you go
down to the Senate restaurant you will
pay Is cents for single tomato. or at
the rate Of $75 bushel. and when the
colored waiter has cut up that one to-
mato for his farmer patron, the farmer
would have to go down in his pocket for
another quarter Of a dollar. or the price
OF bushel OF tomatoes, to reward him."
Scott Replies.
been directed toward statements made by
Senator Elkins. and that senator not be-
ing in the chamber, his colleague, Senator
Scott. essayed to reply for him. Having
worked on q farm himself. he said, it was
not necessary for the senator from North
Dakota to read him q lecture. He then
told Of an interview he had had with
hotel keeper in southern California, who
he said, conducted the most fashionable
hotel in that state.
most in recent times?' he asked This
hotel keeper tells me the manufacturer
and tho business man Of the east have been
unable to patronize his house. but that
hotel Is overrun with the farmers and
with their wives and children, and he says
these farmers all have plenty of money,
and the rooms and the table are not too
good for them. So that Is what our down.
trodden farmer is doing today"
Fight Of the Progressives.
The week of tariff debate closed at 8
pm, with the, Senate "progressives' in
fine fettle. They can point back to
number Of reductions during the week
which probably never would have been
made except for their insistence and ac-
tivity. They have maintained q superb
degree of discipline. and have held their
forces together admirably. Their cohesive
ness was illustrated when the plate glass
schedule was under consideration. Some
OF the 'progressives'' wanted to make
war on that schedule. but a majority of
them decided it was not unreasonably
high and that it would weaken the PRO
gressives' cause to try to rip up sched-
ule that was backed by a good defense.
The '.progressives" who had amendments
drawn suppressed them and lined up for
the Aldrich provision.
The ''progressives' now know that the
chances are they will be outvoted at
every turn, and, furthermore. that the
brunt Of the tariff fight is on them. but
they are not finching from the RESPONSE
bility. They will fight for such reduc-
tions as they may be able to force from
time to time by their hostile demonstra-
tions, and by putting up q good case be-
fore the country. Mainly, however. they
are engaged in making q record that will
support the fight for reductions In confer
ence. The conferees who stand for lower
rates will be able to make a much strong
er case II they can point to sharp divi-
sions In the Senate and can show that
many Of the rates coming over from the
Senate were adopted by narrow margins.
Months Health Improved.