Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-29

of logs; several others have five or
six years supply, and one or two firms
can run their mills probably eight
years. 1t would therefore seem that
the numbering business of This section
of the State, TO large extent, will be
over in about FIVE years, unless logs
can be obtained from other places.
This scarcity of timber was apparent
to many of the energetic lumbermen,
and their attention was directed to
the immense pineries in the Georgian
Bay region, in Canada, and the result
of their Investigations was that they
purchased many hundred millions of
feet of pine in the Canadian woods.
The greater part of this timber is so
situated that it can be got to Georgian
Bay and then RATED to the mills here
to be manufactured into lumber.
The logs can be RATED to this city
cheaply and safely. Ifthese logs can
be brought here, the result would be
that the mills could run many years
longer and would be of immense ben
eft to the citizens of this county.
This country, however, has placed
tariff tax of two dollars per thou
sand feet on Canadian lumber, and
Canada retaliated by placing a tax of
three dollars per thousand feet OH logs
taken out of Canada. This export
tax put an end to the bringing of logs
over from Canada, and thus the enor-
nous amount of timber there, is not
available at present for the Alpena
mills.
The tariff reduction bill passed by
the Democrats in the House of Con-
gress, provides for taking off the tariff
on lumber from Canada, on condition
that Canada will repeal the export
tax on logs.
1t seems to us that if the Mills tar
iff tax reduction bill would become a
law, that it would be of great benefit
to the people of Alpena. The present
Republican protective tax is of no
benefit to Alpena people. It's princi-
pal effect is to make them pay, as tar
if taxes, AZ per cent. of their earnings,
partly to pay the government ex-
penses, but mostly to 60 into the pock-
cts of manufacturing monopolies in
the eastern States. Now why should
not the people of this county work for
their own benefit? The immense sur
plus in the national Treasury proves
that the government does not need
such heavy tariff taxes. They can
safely be lowered, and much lower
than the Mills bill calls for
For the people here to favor the
passage of the Mills tariff tax reduc.
ton bill, which has for its object the
tightening of their burdens, may be
called aiming at legislation that is
personally benefit to them, because
under it they expect to get Canada
logs to manufacture, and lighter taxes.
Some may term it selfish legislation.
The protected manufacturers favor a
protective tariff, just merely because
it enables them to accumulate prince
ly fortunes. They work for their own
benefit, and why should not Alpena
people do the same? They receive
no benefit from the present protective
tariff, which only adds to their bur-
dens.
A reformation of the present tariff
tax system would lessen their burdens
and increase the business of the coun-
ty. Farmers, mechanics and laborers
here ought to be more interested in
the welfare of themselves and of their
families. than in the welfare of cor
porations, whose gains are largely and
unjustly increased by being able to
impose tax on the people, so that a
few men can become millionaires.
These monopolies do not care for the
prosperity Of the people of this coun-
ty. and why should Alpena people
support system that takes large
amount of taxes from them, and from
which they receive no benefit 1t
certainly can not be wise for laboring
men, who hardly make living, to
submit to be so heavily taxed in order
that millionaires may flourish and |
have good time in Europe. Labor
ing men can not afford to devote AZ
per cent. of their wages for any such
purpose. Their own families need it.