Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-07
Lumber interests of Maine,
ErFrCr OF MoRRIsoN's BILL-ARGUMENrs
BN REED AND BourELLE
+ Special 10 the Boston journal !

Special 10 the Boston journal
WASHINGTON, March 4. Congressman
Reed and Boutelle of Maine and Cutcheon of
Michigan appeared before the Ways and
Means Committee this morning in opposition
to free lumber Reed made a very clear,
succinrt statement, in which he set forth the
magnitude of the lumber industry in Maine
and the injury which the proposed act would
cause. He said that one-eighth of the capital
invested in manufactures in Maine Is in the
lumber industry. and that that industry
covers one half of the of the State.
therefore the farmer and the tradesman As
well "a the lumberman are interested in the
lumber manufacture. He said further that
Maine would lose the entire advantage
cured by the treaty of Washington. which
enabled them to float lumber down the St.
John and St Crox. and reimport it without
payment of duty. This right was given as
a partial compensation of loss of territory
under the Ashburton treaty and this was
| valuable to the people of the State. The
industry lay at the foundation. not merely of
the prosperity. but perhaps of the very ex
istence of large part of the State. Depres-
sion in that business would be depression in
every other. When logging ceases, not only
| are the lumbermen thrown out of employ
ment, but the farmer who feeds them has no
market for his product, and the whole COM
munitv is thrown into distress. He described
the distress caused by the temper ary depres-
sion in the lumber business in 1873, and said
that if temporary suspension like that pro
duced such distress. what must be the effect
of destruction. He said that all the loose
talk about floods being caused by the destruc-
/ OF forests even If true elsewhere. had no
application to Maine. for there the growth of
| each year Is cut in one year. and the business
is as regular as the raising of any other crop.
Mr. Boutelle. who represents a very large
| portion of the numbering interests of Maine,
said he would regard himself as derelict in
his duty if he failed TO make some sort of
| protest against the proposed action. which
threatens not simply leading industry in his
own section. but the principal industry upon
which his people depend In that district a
great MANY more people are directly interes-
ted in the manufacture of lumber than those
who work in mills and who drive the logs
during a large portion of the year. The farm
ers. after putting away their crops in the fall,
90 into the woods and spend the winter in
cutting and hauling timber. In regard to
the duty of preserving forests Mr.. Boutelle
| said he did not know that it was particularly
the duty of the people of Maine to sacrifice
| their property or fail to utilize it because of
the fears ofsome people elsewhere that the
forests were being cut too fast The best
way to preserve the forests is to nourish
them. The greatest care is taken in Maine
to preserve the forests, and people who own
timber land will not permit trees to be Gu,
that are not ripe. Trees are selected care
fully BY experienced woodmen and marked
A large part of the forests in Maine is spruce
timber. which renews itself about once in
twenty wears. In regard to stopping food.
bv preserving the Maine forests. Mr.. Boaielle
said he could not see what particular sdvan.
tase was to be derived from stopping the
cutting of timber on the Maine side Of the
ST John and stimulating the cutting of tim
Der on the Canadian side. Just what effect
that would have upon the foods coming down
the ST, John River it was difficult to perceive,
Mr.. BouteSle expressed the opinion that there
is more timber actually standing in the tim
Der portion of Maine to-day than there was
twenty years ago. The average stumpage of
spruce is worth from Sl.15 to 81 thousand
feet. That is the price of TIE ra~ material.
All the rest is practically labor, and it is
labor that is obliged to compete with cheaper
labor in New Brunswick.