The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-31

me, and strangely for the first time,
to quote fully the declaration.
Existing duties have given the
manufacturers Of paper a shelter be-
hind which they have organized COM
binations to raise the price of pulp
and of paper. thus imposing tax
upon the spread Of knowledge. We
demand the immediate repeal of the
tariff on wood-pulp, print paper, lum-
ber, timber and logs. and that those
articles be placed upon the free list"
My critics have been unfair not
only to me, but to their readers in
quoting only the last sentence of the
declaration. which Is preceded by
preamble. setting out the reason for
asking that certain articles go upon
the free list. The reason was that the
duty on wood-pulp, print paper and
certain kinds Of lumber, timber and
logs have given, not the manufacturers
of lumber nor the owners of stump
age, but the manufacturers Of paper,
a shelter behind which they had or
ganized combinations to raise the
price of paper. not lumber, timber nor
logs (for logs have been on the free
list since 1S72), thus imposing a tax,
not upon the building Of homes,
churches or school houses, but upon
the spread Of knowledge" There is
not lawyer nor a fair-minded lay
man in Christendom who will not
agree to tn hs construction. To expe-
dite the spread of knowledge, by
making print paper cheaper, was the
dominating idea in the mind Of the
convention. 1t recognized special
reason for placing lumber, and the
word lumber Is used as a double pre-
caution against anything which goes
into the making of print pape., es-
Gaping, timber and logs tina. go into
the making of print paper upon the
free list, and I do not believe there
was thought of that kind OF lumber
that goes into the ordinary uses of
trade. What imperative reason was
there TO demand that lumber bearing
a IL to 16 per cent ad valorem duty
be placed upon the free listp What
more just reason existed for pl icing
trade lumber upon the free list than
there was to demand that wool.
wooden goods, blankets, binding twire,
bagging and ties, and other articles
carrying duties ranging from 50 to l57
per cent should go upon the fl ee list :?
There are two explanations only:
Either the convention had in mind
only that kind of timber, lumber and
logs. and goes into the manufacture
of print paper and wood-pulp; or
there was an effort here to repeat
what has been attempted to be done
in every Democratic tariff act since
the war. discriminate against the
South in the interest Of other sections
OF the country. / am content that
my critics choose either horn Of the
dilemma. II they take the first, then
1 am guilty Of no violation. either of
principle Of policy announced in this
platform; IL they take the second,
they concede their desire to see the
South forever Disseminated against
in tariff legislation and must assume
the burden Of defense for their posi-
ton. AS for me. intend to stand by
the South and my own people.
Lumber.
I voted against the proposition to
put timber on the free list though
voting for so per cent reduction)
because by the testimony and admis-
sion of those who have studied the
question. the duty on lumber does not
affect the price Of lumber in the
South. and Is paid entirely by those
who live along the Canadian border
line. The revenue duty for which /
voted will put into the treasury ap-
proximately $4,000, 900 annually. and
/ assert as my judgment that not one
penny of this will come out of the
Southern people. but all from that
section of the country which for 40
years has forced it's iniquitous sys-
tenn upon the people I represented.
Here l transferred a burden, which
would have rested upon my people,
by voting against putting an article
on the free list and thereby made the
other man bear it.
Keep In mind it was necessary to
raise from 100000 to $35O.OOO,-
600 by duties upon imported articles,
and remember it is only the consum-
er, according to Leader Champ Clark
and every student Of economy. who