The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-15
ALLEN ON THE TARIFF.
His Speech Last Week Made . Very Good
Impression.


His Speech Last Week Made . Very Good
Impression.
WASHINGTON CITY. Sept. 14.-When the
amendment proposing to put lumber on
the free list was under discussion in the
Senate the other day. Senator Allen of
Washington made short but forcible
speech against the proposition.
Lumber is one Of the most important
industries, perhaps the greatest singls one
of the state I have the honor in part to
represent" was the opening sentence. Sem
ator Allen then produced figures showing
that since 1860 the manufacture Of lumber
had increased from 5000, 600 feet to about
700 600 600 feet per annum. The shingie-
making industry had also grown until the
interior shipments for the last year reached
1,50O carloads. This statement was coupled
with another, namely, the larger value of
this product as it is shipped out of the
state is because of the labor which is ex-
pended in its manufacture. The material
Is cheap. The finished product is valua-
BILE. The difference in the two represents
what has been paid to the men who handle
it from the time the AK is laid to the tree
until it is measured off in the shipping
yard. It is the amount that goes to one of
the greatest industries of this state. There
are great forests yet to be worked in Wash
ington and Oregon, and there are other
great forests, justover the line separated by
an imaginary line only. On the other
side of this line the government offers in
ducements to shippers. It also brings in
Cinnamon who can and do work on the
product of the forests at starvation wages.
If the duty is removed from lumber the
Canadian lumber comes into competition
with that which grows on this side of the
line. Cinnamon compete on even terms
with white men. The laboring men on
this side will be placed on par with them.
Hence free lumber is not a good thing. 1t
is taking away part of the revenue of the
men who manufacture lumber. This in
brief was the point made by Mr.. Allen. 1t
is q whole sermon by itself.
In connection with his remarks on the
question of free lumber Mr.. Allen touched
lightly on the whole system of protection.
He declared that the people Of his state
believed in it.
s.While it is fact" he said in closing,
sthat the young state which in part rep
resent, derives comparatively little advan-
tage from the system OF protection, its peo-
Die leS0Iu ~ % tAC WAoS oAA NJ uC <AAkCil~
can system. They believe it is that which
has builded up the other commonweaiths
of this Union, and that the state of Wash
ington must be developed and sustained
by the same policy; and it is because we
are in sympathy with this policy, because
it is part and parcel of this great American
system that we want it preserved. In this
instance (the lumber question: it comes
directly home to the benefit of my state. u
This was Senator Aliens second speech
: in the Senate, except for brief explanatory
remarks on several occasions when, local
bills have been under consideration His
first was on irrigation. He makes a good
impression among the older senator's. They
have little patience with new men who
make long speeches. That privilege they
hold as one of their own senatorial prerog-
atives, and they look upon a senator who
INDUCES in long speech his first term as
being fresh. They have little complaint on
this score with Mr.. Allen. He talks with
more emphasis than woulu be credited to
him by stranger, who saw him only as
he appears on the floor of the Senate on
other occasions. He does not use notes,
which is rather unusual for q new man,
and he confines his remarks TO subjects
with which he is familiar. He will make a
great speech in the Senate some day.