The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-16
UNDERWOOD TELLS EFFECT OF BILL
 ON BIRMINGHAM Says Americans Are Able to Compete Successfully
 With Foreigners SHOULD NOT HAVE PROFITS PROTECTED Foreign Outlet Will Soon Cause Man ufacturers Far More Concern
 Than Effect of a High
 Tariff Wall

| the House committee on ways and means, and Birminghams offering for the presidency of the United States, made a speech on the tariff as it ap- plies to Birmingham at the Country club last night. He was the honor guest at the second smoker given by the Traffic and Transportation club.
 MT Underwood declared that the free list which exempted wire for fencing from duty would never, in his opinion. hurt this district or any great man ufacturing district of the United States. He said that when he was considering s that bill he was acting for the entire United States. MT. Underwood, with great solemnity, declared that If he had endeavored to be selfish about his own district and had made no con l sessions while at the same time in- nicting tariff for revenue only measures upon the rmeainder of the United States he would have been guilty of violating his trust and his resignation would have been imperative.
 MT. Underwood was received with great cheers as he entered the ban quet room at the Country club. He was accompanied by President L. Sevier, of the Traffic Transportation club, who delivered the meeting over to Webb l W. Crawford immediately. MT. Craw for presided with his usual brilliancy, introducing the speakers that preceded MT. Underwood with characteristic wit and humor.
 President R. H. Baker of the Texas Central railroad was the first speaker and he was followed by wilson Brown. President Culpepper Exum of the com missioners made a short talk to be followed by Commissioner James l Weatherly, who nomina ted Oscar w Underwood for the presidency. His re- marks along that line were received with tumultuous applause. Mir. Weath- erly requested MT. Crawford to dele gate him the courtesy of calling on | the next speaker and he introduced Capt. Addison G. Smith, one of the best known men in the state. Captain Smith touched upon Underwood for president the recall. referendum and the Initiative with great eloquence and force.
 Captain Smith was followed by MT Underwood. who was introduced by MT. Crawford with magnificent tribute to the gentleman from Alabama" who said in part:
 "I assume that it will be conceded that so far as the Birmingham district is concerned that it would in no way be in tured by placing on the free list com lnodities that are not produced and manu- factured in this district and that if any one contends that the passage of what Is known as the free list bill if it had be- come law would have worked injury to the Birmingham district, 1t can only ap- ply to those articles that are produced within the confines of the district Barbed wire and wire used for fencing are the principal items placed on the free list that are manufactured here. It is true that small amount of cotton ties are also produced within the district.
 ''The treasury department advises me | that the imports for consumption for the | fiscal year 1911 of all classes of wire amounted to 9o,9SS.000 pounds, valued at | II, ,666,OOO; whereas the exports of wire for | the seame year amounted to 25427f, coo pounds, and were valued at 5556,O00 From this statement it will be seen that our exports of wire for foreign con- sumption amounted in pounds to more | than ten times the amount of imports ana | in value to more than four times the amount of lmportations I take 1t that it | is an uncontrovertible fact that when | any manufacturing enterprise in this l country can engage in a large export l business abroad. pay the cost of trans portation to the foreign market, and often | pay adverse tariff rates to enter hat market, we must arrive at the conclusion | that cannot be challenged that the home manufacturer can produce the manufac- | tured product at least as cheaply as his | foreign competitor, and If there was no tariff wall to prevent his competitor from entering the markets of the United States with the advantage of the freight rates that the foreign competitor would have to pay to enter these markets, he could sue | cessfully maintain his business without fear of destruction from foreign conipeti- ton.
 Barbed Wire
 ''The treasury department was unable | to furnish me with the exact data as to the amount of imports and the exports of woven wire used for fencing but they did furnisht me with a statement in ref erence to barbed wire used for that pur- pose. They stated that there was only ssss''s'ss.'s.'s.........s. with a desire to comply with the law The recommendation of the Attorney General given to me was upon only part of the evidence, and hence his judgment was different doubtless from what it would have been if he had had the whole record before him, as I have now.
 ''It seems fairly clear that pr. Wiley, after an examination of the records, con cluded that the employment of Dr. Rusby at s9 day for laboratory work and S5( a day for court work would amount to sle0o a year if the department called or him whenever they needed him, and il was this arrangement to which he con scented to-
 kebler ReprOOf
 1 Tn Dr. Kebler's anxiety to induce pr Rusby to accept the terms of employment he certainly betrayed a willingness to con ; strue the contract of employment of Dr Rusby at s1600 a year in one way to recon i, cile it with the law and in another way to satisfy Dr. Rusby in lis wish to se- , cure s20 a day and I think he ought to be reprmanded for his disingenious con duct in writing such letters as he did. Ht said that he did not intend to violate the statute as interpreted by the Attor- ney General and indeed that he did not know exactly what the uling was; bu , whether he did or not, the language o his letters does not have a commendablt ] tone and suggests willingness to resor to evasion that calls for official reproof. "In respect to pr. Rusby, I do not fnt l that he was advised at all as to the lega } difficulty and that he was only seeking for additional compensation which he ] thought to be adequate.
 [ .tThe truth is the limitations upon bu l reau chiefs and heads of departments tt T exact per diem compensations for tht = employment of experts in such cases as s this is a doubtful legislative policy. Her, = is the pure food act, which is of tht . highest importance to enforce and in re e spect to which the interests opposed tC ! it's enforcement are likely to have al : the money at their command needed te
 secure the most effective expert evidence The government ought moi to be at { D disadvantage in this regard and one can t not withhold ones sympathy from al nor acf hx-T T1r n n