The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-26
FREE TRADE AND THE NORTH.
WEST COAST.

Tariff for revenue only would not leave
much of the industries of this Northwest
coast, for it would mean free ore, free coal,
free lumber, free wool and free hops. To
our great industry of lumber free trade
would do great damage in its present de-
pressed condition. According to the re.
Gently published figures OF the Puget Sound
LumbeTman the lumber camps of Chehalis
county alone turned out over 81, 0O0. 90
feet Of logs in 1891, the camps employ.
ing over 800 men and paying out
$4,000 in wages. These figures show
something of the Importance of the lum-
Der business in which the state of Wash
ington is so deeply interested. 1t is now
the largest manufacturing interest in the
country. The lumber interest of the
United States is represented by more than
5000 sawm:lls in this country, distributed
throughout nearly every state, the capital
aggregating $4,000, 600. and $500, 0o0, 900
worth Of products are annually produced.
1t supports population of 100000. Is
there any reason why this great lumber
business should be diverted from the
channels of our domestic trade to enrich
British Columbia and other provinces of
the Dominion. instead of enriching Amer
lea and feeding her workmen? Under the
Mckinley tariff lumber has but slight
protection, but with tariff for revenue
only it would of course go upon the free
list with free ore, free coal, free wool, free
salt. Last winter the convention of lum-
her dealers Cify ,ninfa1
out in their protest against the free lumber
bill of Democratic Congressman Bryan
that the removal of the duty would help
Canadian interests 10 the detriment of our
own. The price of Canadian stumpage
would be increased. while consumers in
this country would pay as much for their
lumber as at present.
The lumber business at present is de-
pressed. owing to over-production and the
increased Importations of low grades of
pine which come into competition with
our lumber of like quality. or hemlock and
Southern pine. The state of Washington
is especially interested in the defeat of
free trade because her dealers are nearer
the Canadian market and the sale of their
of Canadian lumber than tina: of dealers
further removed. To enact free trade
would ruin every lumber man in the state.
The Ceur d'Alene lead-silver miners owe
to the Mckinley tariff the revival of in
dustry in that region of mineral wealth.
This mining country was completely
Frustrated by the construction placed upon
81, hxrT -, 3 Al.
treasury. and it is only since the McKin-
ley tariff restored protection to silver-lead
ore that the business of mining has re-
yived. Free trade would again PROSTATE
It. The 0regoaiaa recites the facts as fol-
lows:
The Cmu, d'Alene mines produce silver-lead
ore almost exclusively, and are more sensitive
than any other in the county TO the competl-
tIon of similar ores mined by peon labor in
! Mexico. The product of t0ese mines ad-
miited over the Rio Grande duty free, under the
decision OF ClevelauGs secretary of the treasury
-Falrchild-that ore in which thu value OF the
silver exceeded that OF the lead 10 be CLASH
fed as silver ore, which is on the free list, in
stead OF lead ore, which pays a duty. Under
this ruling brisk import trade from Mexico
spTaug up, and American mines producing this
Kind OF ore saw themselves uutersold in
tween stopping production aud reducing its
cost to that IN Mexico, which would mean, Of
course, the reduction oi wages in America to
the standard OF the Mexican peonage This was
out OF the question, Of course, and the mining
of lead-silver ore practically stopped in Idaho
Colorado, " Washington and Utah, until the pas
sage of the Mckinley bill, restoring the protec.
ton juggied away by Cleveland, revived the in.
dUstry.
Every one knows how leat-silver mining in
Idaho ana Washington languished between ISIS
ard 1890. but many persons seem 10 have forgot.
ten the reason. IL is, in short. that Cleveland
by an administrative ruling Of his secretary of
the treasury, put lead-slyer ore on the free list
IL the former year, and that Mckinley restored
il TO the protected list in the latter. II protec-
/ ton at tue root OF the Cnur Alene min
ing trouble II i because, without protection,
there would have been no work ~ wages in
those mines 70 quarrel about, except such as
sra given 10 the poems in the s;lver-lead mines
oi Old Mexico.