The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-08
District Need Not Fear

l he is in no sense an. advocate of free trade. MT Kettig said yesterday:
 District Need Not Fear "The Birmingham district, in my opin- | ion, need have no fears from great amount of competition from European manufacturers. do not believe that a reasonable reduction of tariffs will effect the Birmingham district, although I be- lieved before I visited Europe that tar if on all materials was essential to the welfare of the American industries. Bir- mingham is in class by herself In the manufacture of products industrially, and Europe cannot hurt us, however reason- ably low the democrats make the tariff schedules.
 My opinion is that the immense pop ulation of Europe, requiring the employ ment of three worlzmen to our one, and their use of inferior machinery will pro- tect this district. I visited many ma chine shops and manufacturing plants while in Europe l found that three men were there required to do the work of one man here. Our advanced position in machinery gives this country far and away the advantage of Europe. While the much talked of wages are lower at the same time they have three work men to our one and the combined salaries are over those we pay at the higher rate.
 "The raw materials there are very scarce and are getting higher every year. That will cause a stffenng of the prices | ki,a ,1O1; nf all the manufacturing concerns in Flu rope is to hire as many men as pos- sible The situation is so acute that If the mutitudes were not given employ ment frequent uprsngs would result. American methods of reducing the num- Der of men employed and substituting machinery for their work, thus reducing the cost of output, will protect this dis trct adequately.
 'I do not mean to go on record as being free trader. but am certainly inclined to favor reasonable reduction of the tariff believing firmly that the slow, crude methods of European manu- ifacturers cannot touch America.
 "The farming industry there is very in | fcrior to that in America. The women oo all the work practically. It is, goon place for an indolent man. The crying 1 shame of, European farms is the drug cry that the woman are subjected to. I, {. is almost inconceivable how that can be | a fact in a civilized country | Respecting the government ownership
 of railroads MT. Kettig pointed out: Tn Germany and France. the railroads are owned by the government and there we l see about twice as many men employed as are needed. The lines are not op- erated economically and they cannon
 compare with American railroads. Any
 one who is in favor of government own l ership of railroads has only to look over ] the situation in France and Germany
 and see the political sinecures to become Ia convert to the private ownership of
 railroads.''. y
 On General Conditions
 Continuing his discussion on MT. kessis l had the following to say in reference to l the timber reservations in Europe and the business outlook:
 sOne of the things that impresses the | stranger in Europe is the immense area
 reserved for timber, and also the large quantity of game that abounds in the fields and forests.
 '.ThO whole country seems 10 be full of the finest timber. There is plenty Of 4 lumber for every industry. The law \ which is strictly enforced on all mat ! ters, requires that whenever a tree is cut down, two must be immedia .ely .l planted. This system insures a plentiful supply of timber that will last forever ! It is striking contrast to the extrav- gance and waste of timber that Pre- walls in the United States.
 ! "In regard to game, the same system