The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-07-30

do not want the planter Of the South
to be misled, and I promise him for
eign dictation in prices after the pas
sage Of this bill. After this tariff
bill becomes law, the American man
ufacturers of cotton bagging will be
wiped out of existence, and the Sen
ator knows that that will be the case.
He has admitted that they will cease
these goods. The Southern
planter will be the sufferer I want the
Senator to remember that I predict
this day that the cotton planter OF
the South, as soon as the American
manufacturer is destroyed will pay
more for his cotton bagging than last
year, and it will be an advance OF
more than six-tenths of cent a
square yard, the present duty.
Senator Smith: If this is sam
pie of their benefcence to the cot
ton planter, L should like to contri-
butte to their destruction, which l
have consistently done up to the
present. But I want to call atten-
ton to the fact, Mr.. President, that
there is some cause and the people
who produce this article are entitled
to know what that cause is.
Mr.. President, there are other Sen
ators here, who have received COM
munications like my own, and there
are Senators present who are not for
getful of the period about 1898 that
we went through almost paralleling
this very condition on the part of the
growers of cotton throughout the
South, when the price was put up
arbitrarily so high as to cost the
American cotton growers anywhere
from thirty-fve to fifty cents per bale
at the arbitrary will of those who
have a monopoly of this article.
MY resolution instructs the Sec
retary OF Commerce to investigate it.
If it is natural cause, the simple
law of supply and demand that is
producing this burden upon the
American people, then there is moth
ing to be done; but, if upon investl-
CATION it is found that this is done in
spite of the law we have for the regu-
lation of this kind of oppression, II
should be known.
I think it is the duty of the Senate
to pass this resolution and let the Of
ficers of the government charged
with it see that the facts shall be laid
before the Senate. If the cotton
growers of this country have got to
pay s1,SO0,OOO let them pay 1t legiti'
mately along the line Of supply and
demand and not at the sweet will OF
a combination who wish to raise the
price and extract this stupendous
sum from the cotton growers.
Senator Lippitt: / have not the
slightest objection in the world to
the passage of this resolution. II
the Senator from South Carolina
thinks it will throw any light upon
the situation, I am quite ready to
ioin with him in having that light
thrown. simply rose to ask about
the statement which he made a few
minutes ago, of which I am not In
formed, in which he said that the fac
tory or factories do not know
which, making this cotton bagging in
consequence Of the proposed tariff
bill, were now preparing to close
their industry and go out of business
Senator Smith: did not say that
I said in contemplation Of taking ad-
vantage of their monopoly and the
protection that was thrown around
them, they were putting up the price
in order that they might take advan-
taee of that they had been enjoying
all these years. I did not say that
they were about to go out of busl-
ness, because I do not believe they
will, I believe there is a legitimate
profit in the business on the lines OF
competition. I believe there is lille
gitimate profit in it that they have
been ENJOYING all these years or they
would not be clamoring for protec-
ton.
Senator Lippitt: Then I misun-
derstood the Senator.
Senator Smith: / am glad the
Senator called it to my attention.
Senator Lippitt: I understood the
Senator to make that assertion.
Senator Smith: No, I made NO
such assertion.
Senator Lippitt: So far as the In
quiry goes I can see DO objection to
it at all. If any light can be thrown
on the situation there is no reason III
the world why it should not be.
Senator Smoot: Mr.. President,
have no objection whatever to the
passage of the resolution. I think
that it is very proper indeed that the
investigation should be made. I Will
watch with particular interest the re-
port when made because we shall
have some reason given other than
that the tariff has raised the price
The Senator from Georgia (Mr
Bacon) says that these goods are
made entirely in this country. There
we're 13,365,349 square yards ol
them imported in 1912.
Senator Smith: Will the Senator
from Utah again state how many
yards we're imported?
Senator smoot: There were I'M
ported 13,365.349 square yards.
Senator Smith: Is the total
amount Of consumption stated.
Senator S-noot: The total amount
&C reduction is stated in dollars and
cents.
Senator Smith: But the tables do
not give the number Of yards con-
sumed.
Senator Srloot: No, but the total
amount of nroduct;on is S3,50I, 900.