The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-10-07
TARIFF REFOR N
Psesi1eu. Patksr D fiaes His Position
on Important Matter
THINKS IT is NEEDED
Head of Merger Dissented from the

Head of Merger Dissented from the
Views Expressed by Committee OF
Fifteen and Resigned from Com
mittee Appointed TO Represent the
Cotton Mills by President Smyth
That Lewis w. Parker, president
of the Parker Cotton Mills company
and one of the most influential cot
ton mill men in the South, differs rad,
ically from the position taken by the
committee of fifteen appointed Ellison
a. Smyth to represent the American
Cotton Manufacturers association, in
regard to the revision of the tariff
is developed by inquiries made OF
-. Parker by The Daily Record, fol-
lowing the suggestion, during Mr.
Parker's absence in Europe, made
in the Daily Record editorially, Aug
ust Z, that the fact that Mr.. Parker S
name did not appear signed to the
memorial prepared By the committee
might indicate his dissent from the
committees position. Mr.. Parker
now states that he resigned from the
committee and permits The Daily
Record to publish, below, his letter to
the chairman, MI. Miller.
Greenville, S. c., June -.
Mr.. R. NJ. Miller, Jr., Chairman, Tar
if Committee, Charlotte, N. C.
My Dear Mr.. Miller: l have just
returned to the Office this morning
after several days absence and find
your letter of June 8, enclosing copy
of brief submitted to Hon. o. W.
Underwood, chairman Of the ways and
means committee.
l regret I must return to you the
copy of the brief sent to me for sig
nature, unsigned, as cannot agree
with the committee who subscribed
thereto, for the following reasons:
Cd In my judgment, a policy of
inaction, as proposed by the COM
mittee, is not in line with what the
people Of the United States in the
election of a Democratic house of re-
presentatives have demanded; and
believe that it is necessary that the
ways and means committee OF the
house of representatives in response
to this demand Of the people, should
take some action looking to reas-
enable reduction of the tariff on cot
,, ton goods as we'll as in other sched-
ules.
(2) Furthermore, I believe it
would have been a matter OF good
policy on the part Of the manufactur-
ers to have recognized the demand
existing for reasonable reductions OF
the tariff, and the demand existing
in my Judgment, to make such reas-
enable reductions. In my Judgment
| TT would have been the part of wis
dom on the part of the manufactur-
ers, generally, recognizing such a de-
mand, to have rendered every as
sistance to the ways and means COM
mittee, so that a policy of reduction
might have been put into effect IN a
conservative manner, rather than risk
the effect of delay, in which posi-
bly, there will later be necessary more
extreme action, which would in my
Judgment be unfortunate. In my
opinion it would be the part of wis
dom today ON the part Of the manu-
facturers not only to assent to a reas-
enable reduction along the whole line
but to render every assistance to the
ways and means committee, so that
reductions may be made with a
knowledge of their effect, rather than
that manufacturers should pursue
the policy of inaction or "stand-jat-
ism"
(3) l connot assent to the sug-
sestion of inaction proposed by your
committee to the ways and means
committee for the further reason
that at the request Of what | I'M
derstood to be a committe of the
Arkwright club, and, as l had un-
derstood, with the concurrence of
the committee OF the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers, | have al
ready made representations to Mr..
Underwood, chairman of the ways
and means committee, in which |
urged a policy Of conservative re-
duction not only in the cotton goods
schedule but in other schedules. If
|, therefore, at this date subscribe
to the brief submitted by your COM
mittee, should be completely re-
versing myself in the matter OF rep
reservations made TO Mr.. Underwood.
I regret very much that it is not
practicable for me to be present at
the meeting Of the joint committees
of manufacturers on June 6, but as |
have already explained to you, this
meeting was called on a date when
il was impossible for me to be pres
ent. 1t is my sincere desire to act
in cooperation with my brother man.
ufacturers, and | am always inclined
to a compromise of views. In the
present instance the joint commit
tee has asserted a view which is
in no wise compromise, and which
in no sense recognizes the views OF
others, like myself.
nj rpprpt