The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-08-17
The LUMBER TAX
Senator Tillman Tells Why He Voted
Against the big Steal.
IT ROBS THE FARMERS

The Senator Says IL DUTY on Lumbc
! Only Helps the Lumber Trust
! Which Has Bought Up All the
| Timber Lands in the State. an1
Buncoes the Farmers and Others
| We present below some extracts
from the remarks Of Senator XII
man In the United States Senate on
the lumber schedule:
! Mr.. President. before the lumber
schedule passes from the attention
Of the Senate. wan. 20 make q
brief statement When it was in
/; the Senate before. TWO or three
weeks ago. voted for the amend
ment proposed by the Senator from
Alabama 70 put lumber and all
| tailding materials on the free list
l.. the discussion | remarked that |
was in tafor Of free lumber.
When the Senator from North
Dakota offered an amendment. which
did not give US free lumber. leaving
the duty on wildwood, sycamore
and Eastwood at fifty cents a thous-
and, voted asains. IL. because IT
did not give US free lum Der. The
Senate adjourned Immediately after
wards. giving ne no opportunity tc
vote for free lumoe There has been
no opportunity to vote for free lun-
be.. still think We ought TO have
free lumber. and l viii: give my
experience and my reasons for that
belief. know. OF course. We can
rot get it.
Twelve years ago. when the Ding
ley bill was on its passage. voted
for a 81 tariff on lumber. and re-
marked. very much to the disgust OF
some people and The edifcasion OF
others, II there was TO be sl>aling.
want my share" haze found out
that I cen not get my share; thai
the conditions Of the South are such
that the articles ana products OF
the region which are capable OF De
ing protected are so few in number
tha; il We were 70 throw around
everything down there high pro-
,ec;ive tar!d. We would not get any
thing like a proport:onate benefit
with the New England and manufac-
turing States Of this Union.
In regard 20 this matter Of lum-
Der have watched the result OF the
duty. Immediately afterwards our
timber lands. which had previously
been neglected so there were com
paratively small numbering industries
down there. began 70 be in demand.
,Mec from Wisconsin and Michigan
and other northern States where
numbering had practically deauded
the forests OF timber. or were about
to finish them up. came into the
State and bought up very large
tracts OF timber at very small
price. They did this all over The
South. Large mills were ests b!ish-
ed and the lumber industry began
10 pick up. showing investment Of
capital snd a large export. 4; TIE
same time the price began 20 rise.
a little faster. apparently. than The
industry itself.
Now consider for moment that
the people OF South Carolina are
in abou, this shape: the State being
triangle. the upper par; cutting Oil
like the letter A is largely the
white section Of the State. Nearly
two thirds OF the people. although
j, is only one-third OF the area. I've
there. They are consumers OF luni-
Der and they have &c yellow p'ae
o. very little. They have been I'M
porting iha, lam5er from tae low
er half OF the counties next 20 the
sea. In this coast region the lumber
industry has taken root and IS no"
very extensively carried on.
notice after three or four years
Of this introduction Of lumber on
an extensive scale that the price went
steadily up. up. and i very soon
became noised abroad. do not
know on what foundation that these
lumber men had formed combina-
ton and they would not sci! under
each other 10 the consumers II the
upper pa:; Of the State.
Lumber is not q luxury It IS
necessity. |; is one OF the neces-
saries Of life When l saw that the
farmers. who bad 10 build houses
and fences and barns in the whole
upper country. were being charged
steadily increasing prices for their
lumber. / began TO change nay opin-
ION as 10 whether Was getting my
share Of the stealing or cot. Il looN-
ed like somebody Got very far away
was getting an unreasonable proht
ont OF cur trees. which had cost
,her, a very small sum Of money rel
at!velv. So my opinioc III :"earh 20
the benefits CT the tariff in our State
changed very radically.
I believe in the greatest good 20
the greatest number. and when |
saw that the people who use lumber.
practically four-hfths Of them. were
paying an increased price. decided
II ! ever got a chance ! would take
that tariff on do noi tee' ;hat
il is my business here 70 p.o;ect the
industry OF lumber which perhaps
involves the interests Of $4,000 sooc
and WORTHY people. as against The
5000 equally good and worthy
people WHO have TO use lumber. aeo
We would not be saved from an eX'
o.5i;ant price. because. think. toose
neor,e ;.-:ned com b!natoC a1c