The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-06-19

lares Exports az Lumber and small I'm
ports southern Pine Lumber Ia Al
Parts 81 the worid-Canasia a. = kivnl--
Amusing Freaks Of the Protection super
stition.
Some people fancy that we need a
duty on lumber and timber 70 protect
our forests from the pauper-grown for
osta Of Canada and other countries; but
; staff correspondent Of the high tariff
New York Tribune. who has been
travelling in the south. writes to That
Journal from Pensacola. Fla. 20 show
that Florida pine is shipped to Europe
In large quantities ard is very popular
there for ship building as well as for
other purposes.
This correspondent states that the
Florida yellow pine was largely used in
the Portsmouth. England, deck yards
before the present cus.om Of making
rhips' hulls and masis out OF iron was
adopted AT the French navy yards
at Chcrbourg. Brcst and Rochcfort," he
says. 1T was largely used. For deck
planking II is unexccllcd, and TO this
LAY the Cnnardcrs passengers perform
heir endless promenades on planks
shipped from Pensacola The Barbary
coast men nsc il. and so do the ship
builders at Venice and at Fiume, the
greatest timber exporting town on the
Adriatic \
The changes in the method Of ship
building. however, have not hurt the
export Of Florida lumber and timber.
''Large shipments Of the big logs are
L.. koI<
for railroad piers and bridges Some
of them are cut up and made into
freight cars. Other cargoes have been
unloadcd at Rotterdam and towed all
the way up the Rhine TO Mayence.
passing on the way the German RATS
bound for the sea. In Germany they
use the wood for flooring and house,
building. and so they do in Switzerland.
Java. Japan and Cape Town use 1t for
docks and harbors Australia has
taken many shipioads; and only year
ago cargo went to London, was trans
ferred there TO steamer bound
through the Suez canal. and finally I'M
loaded at Calcutta. the entire cost hav-
ing been less than the current through
freight from Pensacola direct.
The shipments every year are enor-
nous. one Pensacola firm alone having
exported l00 900. 900 feet in one year"
II anyone will examine the reports
Of our foreign commerce for the fiscal
year 1870, he viii find that our exports
OF lumber and timber amounted TO
nearly S22, 900, 900. against imports Of
only about Ss.75O.OO0 by far the
larger part Of our exports went out
from southern ports like Newport
News Va: Brunswick, Ca; Pensacola,
Fla; Mobile, Ala, and New Orleans.
But our exports to Canada were very
respectable, reaching nearly $4,000, 600.
Some Of the figures of our lumber
and tim Der exports from points along
our northern border give rise to anus
ing reflections concerning the protection
superstition The lumbermen OF Mich.
igan were before McKinley's commit
tee last year to oppose any reduction
Of the duty on lumber; yet last years
exports from the two Michigan ports Of
Detroit and Port Huron into Canada
reached about $50. 600 worth. Three
years ago certain citizens Of Seattle,
and Tacoma, wash. sent strong memo
rails TO the senate finance committee
against lowering the duty. Their CRY
Of distress was mingled with pathetic
references 10 the Chinese coolie labor
employed in the forests Of British Co
lumbia Yet the fear and trembling Of
these good people was but the effect Of
the protection superstition. The treas
ury reports show that the exports o.
lumber from Puget Sound in 1890 were
upwards Of 81. $50. 000-
Afraid Of foreign competition and yet
able to export and sell in foreign mar
kets; such is ever the amazing folly d
the protection mind.
The duty on lumber should be re
pcaled; not one vestige Of il should bs
left. II is not needed to protect the
American lumber industry, as it wa,
testified by Michigan lumbcrman thai
the cost of making lumber was about
Is much in Canada rs in Michigan. and
that II there was any difference at al
the cost would be found little greater
in Canada The duty, then. can serve
only TO give American producers ans
dealers the opportunity I, combine ant
maintain prices SO recently as the sec
ond week in March there was q repor
that consolidation Of practically al
the lumber dealers Of the west has