Speech #530118037

And the subsequent placing of lumber upon the free list by the Wilson bill has had the effect to completely paralyze Southern business in this particular line. because the consumers of lumber in the Northern. Eastern. and Western States know that free importation of lumber from Canada and froml Norway and Sweden will necessarily force the price of yellow pine lumber much lower in scale of prices. and for this reasonmillionsof feet of schedules have been withdrawn from the market. We can not see any reasonable cause why lumber should be on the free list. as it is an industry that needs all the protection that can be accorded. it. and we have been at a loss to understand why and how our Southern members of Congress could be agitating and urging and voting to place lumber. wool. sugar. and other strictly Southern industries upon the free listthus placing the business of their constituents in direct competition with the products of foreign pauper labor. and we earnestly beg that you will consider this protest and use your best efforts to place a duty upon foreign lumber. as well as upon many otherraw materials that are either grown or manufactured exclusively In the South. In conclusion. we beg to say that a business life of fortyodd years has convinced us that as a people the Southern States need protection instead of free trade. and we know from experience that if the question of high or low tariff was explained to the masses of the white people of the South. at least 75 per cent of the masses would be in favor of a high tariff. We are. and have been. misrepresented by political "bosses." and controlled to a great extent by the "party lash." but the present condition of things brought about by tariff agitation has awakened the people. and many of the "politicl leaders" will be relegated to the rear when the masses have another chlnce to vote.