The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-06-26

Edeavored to meet my ponsibihty
EEoS every other interest During the
Eeeriod Of the WarsI was elected chair
man of the Interstate Commerce
som mitee and had charge Of the tre-
mendously important legislation eff
fecting the transportation systems of
this country during the period OF the
war. ]. also had charge.of the leg1slaa- :
ton that gave to the President con-
troll of government control. devoted
every energy to having a readJust-
ment of the shipping rates to the
South Atlantic and Gulf ports. one
can scarcely realize the enormous
handicap that the South has been
laboring under in the unjust and DIS
.rin,inatory rates between the North
orr, and southern ports. This adjust
ment was made. devoted the same
effort to have the import and export
rates similarly adjusted. This was al
so accomplished.
One of the most essential things
for the proper development of this
country is good roads. While rank
ing member Of the PostoffIce and
post Roads Committee I elaborated
with other Senator's in securing the
massage of the Good Roads Bill winch
authorized the Government to CO.
onerate with the States, in the con-
struction Of permanent highways. Tne
solution Of our transportation, prob:
lem will largely be met when we have
permanent highway system thro-
ughout the country. The convenience,
comforts and prosperity of the farm
er is largely dependent upon the con-
struction Of good roads There is no
public service that excels this IN I'M
portance.
While Chairman of the Immlgra-
ton Bill restricting the influx OF un-
lesirabIes. into. this country / beilev-
led then and believe now-that there is
no greater menace TO ouI Government
and institutions than the uncontroi-
lied infnlx of undesirable aliens into
this country.
The period of readjustment is now
1pon us and the burden or taxation
will necessarily for long time be
heavy but + believe that it should be
30 adjusted as to encourage and not
iscourage the progress and develop
snent Of our wealth re-
sources. It will necessarily take time
10 bring about the proper ADJUST
Insent. The present law is necessarily
nore or less crude or imperfect be-
.ause of the necessity Of meeting an
Imperative emergency. But now that
| the emergency has passed it is the
duty, of Congress to address itself to
his problem and so adjust the bur-
I den OF taxation that it shall be fairly
land Justly distributed, and that the
revenue shall be derived from such
sources as will least burden those
upon whom the prosperity and de-
Felopnnent Of the country depend.
/. have steadfastiy supported the
Democratic Administration since the
time Of its inuaguration- I do not be
/ 9tieve that any administration In the
history Of American legislation has
done more to put into practical ef-
feet the genuine doctrine OF demo
cracy than has the present demo
cratic administration. If reelected
to the Senate I shall continue to do
as I have done in the past, worked
for and supported those constructive
measures that will bring substantial
prosperity and comfort to the
oeople. It has been charged that l
have devoted my time to cotton, be-
tlieve what the last few years has
demonstrated, that this being our
source of revenue if I'VE could realize
anything approximating its intrinsic
value it would become the source Of
development of other businesses and
.other resources. Merchant and bank
er and professional man in the South
have been dependent upon the same
source for their income: What manu-
facturers we had We're largely the in
vestment Of outside capitaf and what
profits accrued therefron elsewhere.
have liquidated old debts, have given
opportunity for investment, have
stimulated every business enterprise
in the country by home capital and
will if we can maintain it ultimately
make us independent of any one
source Of revenue. Good roads, bet
ter marketing facilities, still further
permanent Improvements in our
banking and currency laws, the per-
lection of our rural credits and our
farm loan bank, the establishment
of more direct trade relations with
foreign countries from our section
are some Of the problems that wait
for additional legislation.
My committee appointments are
such as to give me an opportunity to
use to the fullest my position as
Senator along the lines that. I have
indicated. This together with my ex-
perience and with the established