The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-08-13
Senator Tillman's Reasons.


The Times and Democrat having
shown to the satisfaction Of all fair
minded readers that there was no
similarity in the vote Of Senator
Tillman for a duty on tea and Con-
gressman Levers vote for a duty on
lumber, the Sun abandons Its tea
proposition and brings up Senator
Tillman's vote for a duty on iron
ore, and wants to know why, when
Senator Tillman voted for a duty on
iron ore, commodity that affects
every farmer who uses plow, and
all of them use plows-wny, we ask,
did not The Times and Democrat de-
nounce Senator Tillman for voting
as he did? Was The Times and
Democrat afraid Of Senator Till
man."
No doubt the Sun thinks that the
question it propounds above Is a
souelcher, but really there Is moth
ing in it, for there is no comparison
at all between the vote Of Senator
Tillman' for duty on iron ore and
the vote of Congressman Lever for
duty on lumber, as we shall show
by the testimony of the Senator him
self. Our readers will please turn
to the first column of the first page
of this paper and read what the
Senator says in explanation of his
vote for a duty on iron ore. The
Senator's statement completely an
swers the question of the Sun and
makes an answer from us nnneces-
sary. We all know Ben Tillman and
believe what he says.
Senator Tillman points out that
the duty on iron ore does not hurt
the consumer, from the fact that the
Steel Trust is enabled through the
operations of the tariff schedule on
goods manufactured out Of iron to
shut out all competition and fix the
prices to suit themselves. He says
there Is overwhelming evidence thai
there are no independent steel or
iron producers. The Steel Trust has
absolute control and enjoys mon
opoly of the iron and steel business
in this country. If we could reduce
the tariff on manufactured iron We
could gel cheaper prices, but the
tariff law bars out all competition.
He says it was brought out in the
debate that some of the Eastern
! companies have contracts with the
Cuban mine owners to import not
less than million tons Of Cuban ore
a year, and he saw no reason why
this ore should come in free when Ii
would make no difference whatever
| to the consumers of iron and steel
as to the price we would pay for
these articles. The iron mines in
Cuba are owned by the Steel Trust
| and the duty voted for by Senator
Tillman would be paid by it. From
the Senator's testimony it will be
seen that his vote for duty on iron
ore does not raise the price of q
plow or anything else made out ol
iron or steel.
Having exonerated Senator Till
man from the charge made by the
Sun that he had voted for dut!
that would make the plows of the
farmers cost more, let us see Wha
he thinks about Congressman Lev
er's vote for a duty on lumber. Fo
this purpose we will again Introduce
Senator Tillmau. Our readers viii
please turn to the fourth column @
the first page Of this paper and reat
for themselves what the Senate
says about the duty on lumber TO
which Congressman Lever voted. A
usual he calls spade spade. AT
ter reading what the Senator say
about the duty on iron ore and tn
duty on lumber We do not think an
one will claim that there is an
similarity between tho two. Th
lumber duty Is tax on the peopl
and the iron ore duty Is tax o.
the Steel Trust.