The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-03
THE LUMBER
INDUSTRY.
A Clear and Comprehensive
Statement Showing the
Reasons Why Tariff
on Lumber Should
be Sustained.
be Sustained.

Inc issue IS now maze up ana
each individual voter must be re-
sponslble for his action.
Each voter should weigh care
fnlly the interests of the individual
and of the community, as well as
of the Nation. He SHOULD consider
what interests are to be effected by
change, and whether favorablv or
unfavorably.
Statistics show that we are on the
high tide of prosperity, that our
people are more prosperous and are
doing more business than ever be-
tore. We know this to be true of
our own knowledge. without the
aid of statistics. Evidence of it ac-
cumulates on every hand.
Presidential years are proverbially
dull business years, but owing to
great commercial advantages which
we enjoy under our protection sys-
TEN this has been made one of our
most prosperous years our country
has ever experienced.
Do the people want a change?
Will IA change of policy add any
thing to our prospt rity,-natIonal
or individual?
Ours is the most Independent ma
ton on earth. We have fewer
needs that we cannot supply within
our own borders than any other
people. This has not always been
so, and the natural inquiry arises
as to what has produced this charge
for the better. 1t was not free
trade in wool. lumber or any of the
things which our Democratic friends
are striving to put on the free list.
In receut letter to THE REPUB.
LICAN | said that | would try to
illustrate the working of the tariff
by reference to the lumber trade
and how it effects all branches Of
trade, including the farmers.
The lumber interest in this Sec
ton is of very great Importance.
Large sums of money are invested
in timber, machinery and roads for
the conveyance of logs and lum-
Der. Large tracts of timber are yet
undergoing the primitive condi-
tons of growth, death and decay.
The progress of the woodsman is
continually arrested by the trunks
of fallen trees which a few years ago
would have turned out the best Of
lumber.
In some localities there are mil
lions of feet of lumber dead, which
unless cut within year or two will
be worthless.
In most instances timber has
been purchased in the lump to be
removed by specified time and the
owners are in such position that
they must prosecute their business
or loose their Investments, which
would mean financial ruin to most
of them; and not to the mill owners
only but hundreds Of families would
be deprived of their means of sup
port if the lumbe business should
be seriously hampered.
Now let us consider what the eff
feet would be if the duty were re-
moved from lumber.
There is now duty Of one dollar
per thousand on hemlock, and of
two dollars per thousand on spruce,
the two principal sorts of lumber
manufactured in this section of
country.
Canada Is our chief competitor,
and owing to natural advantages
Canada is paying the above duties.
and competing with us now in our
eastern markets. We have no lum-
Der markets south and must Of
necessity look north and east.
Canada has cheap water transpor-
tation to Buffalo and other lake
ports and lines of railroad thence
to the markets which we now help
to supply. In addition to cheap
and abundant timber and cheap
freight rates, Canada has the addi-
tional advantage of cheap labor, and
if Canadian lumber should be adj
mitted free we would not be IN po-
sition to compete with it, not even
In our own markets.
In the event of free lumber
Canada could supply our lumber
markets at two dollars per thousand
less than present prices and we
could not turn a wheel. One of
two thugs would happen: Our
mills would have to shut down or
we would be compelled to reduce
wages even below the Canadian
standard, because our freights are
higher.
/ don't believe there is a mill
along the line of the W. Va. c.
That clears anything like one dollar
per thousand on It's output, and
free lumber would simply mean a
large cut IN wages or an indefinite
| shut down I will assuma that