, 1892-03-17
INTEREsTINe FAcTs.

Here is what the big committee of lum-
bermen OF the Northwest told the demo-
cratic free trade committee of the house Of
representatives in Washington City the
other day: "Now, gentlemen, we in this
country labor under q great many disad-
Vantages which do not exist in Canada.
In the first place, the American lumber
man buys his timber land. He invests in
these lands large amount of money origi-
nally before he starts out to manufacture
The policy of the Canadian government
has been to sell what are known as timber
limits, simply requiring the payment of a
small royalty, or bonus, per annum. So
that the Canadian lumberman, when he
starts to manufacture, has practically no
Investment in timber lands, and conse-
quently the capital to conduct the business
over there is very much less than is re-
quired in this country. That is a very i'm.
portant item, going to make up the cost of
the manufactured article here. In many
instances the Canadian does not pay for
his timber until it is cut into lumber, or
until the logs are cut, so that he has no in
terest account. Then he has no taxes to
taxes to pay. He in no way helps to sur
port the American government, and indeed
he does not help to support his own gov
ernment, except so far as he pays the price
of the timber limits, which is simply a
price for the control of the timber.
Again, we all know that the cost of pro-.
the cost here. The camp supplies there
are very much less also, and there is cor
responding reduction in the rate of wages.
The policy of the Canadian government
has been to encourage umbering opera
tions. The government has constructed
fumes and dams, has cleaned out the
streams, and has given the lumbermen the
best of highways and other means of trans
portation. The American government
does nothing of the kind. The American
lumberman, when he goes into the forest,
constructs his own means of transporta-
ton. He builds his own railroads, cleans
out his streams and builds his own fumes
and DAMS He also has to pay for the
right of crossing other property in order to
reach his timber lands. In very many
other ways, also, the American lumbermen
is at disadvantage as contrasted with
the Canadian lumberman. For instance,
in British Columbia, the lumber of which
GOmeS-in conflict with that of the Pacific
slope, the government pays a premium on
the expectation of lumber. The govern
ment sells the stumpage for so cents
thousand feet, and in case the lumber lis
exported so per cent of that cost is refund
ed in the way of a rebate.
Now, gentlemen, for these reasons, we
are unable to compete with our Canadian
friends. The lumber supply of this coun-
try is today entirely adequate for the wants
is abundant for this and for many coming
generations. There is no lack in the supply
of the material to build homes for our peo-
pie. Lumber today has reached price, in
the downward trend, that is already caus-
ing disaster to a great many manufacturers
in various sections of the country. We do
not think there is an industry in this coun-
| try today that is suffering so severely from
low prices as the Southern pine industry.
There are some gentlemen on this commit
| tee who represent Southern lumber and
Southern Organizations, who will tell you
that the lumber trade in their states is in a
very depressed condition. They will tell
you that failures are frequent, and that
many more are to come unless there is a
revival of business there, and unless bet.
ter scale of prices can be obtained. Lum-
bermen from the Pacific slope tell US that
they have to contend there not only will
the advantages given to the lumberrnen in
the British provinces, lying directly across
the border, but also with the Chinese eheaI
labor which the Canadian lumbermen, arc
able to employ, but which the American
lumbermen cannot employ for the reason
that the Cinnamon are kept out of this
i eOTntFV