The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-10-24
A Strong Plea for the Lumberine
Industry.

There was to have been a joint de.
bate 10 this place, Saturday evening,
Oct. 20, on the issues Of the campaign,
pursuant to resolution passed, first
by the Democratic club, and subse'
quently by the Republican club. When
the time arrived the Democratic ora.
tors failed to appear, and the query
now is, why2 Was it because the sub.
ject would not bear discussion from a
Democratic standpoint Let us see :
What political subject is it that most
interests the voters of jerks township
That which affects the lumber indus
try, is it not2 Most certainly. We
are more interested in that than in all
the others put together That is what
brought the most of us here, and that
is what We depend upon for our means
of subsistence. Injure that industry
and you iDiure US all; destroy the in.
dustry even for one year, aud you scat
ter the inhabitants of jerks township
to the four corners of the earth, and
make their now comfortable dwellings
the abodes of owls and bats. There is
not an intelligent voter in this town
ship that does not know that any ma.
terial reduction in the price of lumber
aud shingles would shut down every
saw mill and shingle mill in this vicin-
ity. We infer that the reason the
Hon. Mr.. Beers, during two speeches
of an hour each in this place last
Tuesday, did not refer TO the lumber
industry, was because the attitude of
the Democratic party on the subject
would not bear explanation 10 this
laundering country, and why? because
the law as it now exists places a tariff
of s100 per thousand feet on all saw.
ed boards, planks, deals, and other
lamher Of hemlock, whitewood, syca.
more and baswood and on all other
articles Of sawed lumber $500 per
thousand feet; on shingles 35 cents
per thousand; and on lath Is cents
per thousand and on all other man.
ufactures Of wood in proportion. In
other words, persons in Canada or 9TH
er foreign countries are required to
pay the above sums into the treasury
of the United States for the privilege
of bringing into and selling the ar.i-
cles in this country. The Mills bill,
which was endorsed by the Democratic
Convention, and will become law if
, Cleveland is elected, will admit the
, above articles free; or in other words,
, citizens of Canada aud all other for.
, eign countries will be permitted to
ship lumber, shingles, &C., into this
country free Of duty, giving Canadians
and other foreigners an equal chance
| to sell in the markets of the U. S. with
our own merchants and manufacturers
. Now, the question that interests us, is,
5 will admitting lumber, shingles, &C.,
, free, reduce the price ? if it does, il
ruins the industry on which we de.
. pend; if it does not, Mr.. Canadian
or other foreigner is just ahead the
amount Of the present duty on all he
imports.
As to whether it will make it cheap,
, er or not We will have to judge by ex,
q isting circumstances. Canada lies
, north of US with 457 .44S square miles
I Of territory more than the U. S. Hel
! population in 1880 was only 1902 1921
I while that of the U. S. was 80, 152, ,559
n Originally We probably had about al
| much timber as they, but we have haC
i. about IA to 1 consuming and destroy
e ing it, consequently they must hav,
many times as much as we have now
g Their facilities for shipping into large
parts of this country are unsurpassed
by any home competitors, and their
labor is cheaper. Here is what Mr.
Thurman says in his letter of accept
ance: "We say give to the masses o
the people cheap and good clothing
cheap tools and cheap tlmber."
. The N. Y. World promises the farm
er lumber at 81 90 to $500 per thous
:. and cheaper; shingles Soc. cheaper
and lath 15c. cheaper, to compensat,
: them for their loss on wool. What d.
! they propose to give us cheap, to com
: pensate US for furnishing the masses 0
= the people cheap lumber, cheap shin
giles and cheap lath? Is it clothing
and wooden goods with 40 per cent
ad vaLorum duty on them: Is it tool
that are now made in this country 8,
cheap that we export largely of them
Is it sugar which will still be expected