New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
CANADIAN EXPORT DUTIES
URGING THE RENEWAL OF THE TAX ON
LUMBER.

THE HOPE THAT AMERICANS MAY BE OBLIGED
TO BUILD MILLS IN THE DoMINIoN-To
DESTROY THE RAFTING BUSINESS.
Ottawa, Ont Oct IL Special AN agitation of
considerable importance to the lumbermen of
New-York, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan has
been set on foot here. For five and twenty
years, from S66 TO 1890, Canada imposed an eX-
port duty logs going to the United States.
From 1866 to 1856 duty Of 81 per thousand
feet was levied OH pine logs, from 1886 TO 1883
the duty 81. from November, 1888, to
July, 1889, it SO. and from July. 1899. to the
adoption Of the Mckinley act in 1870 it was put
back to 81. An export duty was also levied on
spruce logs. The duties, which were subject TO
regulation not by Parliament but by order in
council that is to say, of the will of the Cabinet
were repealed when the Mckinley bill became
law. because that bill, while reducing the United
States duty on sawn white pine lumber from 81
TO ST. provided that there should be no reduction
| for lumber coming from country which imposed
export duties on pine spruce logs. Sir John
Macdonald abolished the Canadian export duty
on logs, therefore, in order that the Canadian
lumbcrmen might get the benefit of the reduced
American duty on sawn lumber; and every one
appeared to be satisfied.
The export duty had been imposed by Canada
with the object of compelling American lumber
men 70 manufacture in Canada the logs obtained
from their limits in Canada The Canadian um-
bermen also believed, not without reason that by
harassing the American lumbermen in this way
the American lulnbcrmcn would be deferred from
purchasing limits on this side of the line. Hence
they themselves not having TO bid against Amer
can competitors at Government sales, would stand
good chance of getting cheap limits. But the
remarkable part of the story is this, that down to
the present time Canada has imported much
larger quantity of saw logs from the United
States than the United States have imported from
Canada and of course. she has been able TO buy
them without having to pay any American export
duty export duties being contrary to the Con-
Stitution OF the United States. Not TO 20 further
back. the American import Of logs from Canada
bween $50 and $50 valued at $4,000 900
whilst the Canadian import from the United
States during the same period was worth not less
than 100000. Some have placed it at SILL
100000 Logs are brought from Minnesota
down the Rainy and Red Rivers TO Canadian saw
mills at Rat Portage and Winnipeg, and from
Maine down the St John River 10 the sawmills in
the Province of New Brunswick. The American
logs cnt in New-Drunswck are shipped as lumber
7 10 England
| The sawmill men in the Georgian Bay region.
where American mill-ownPrs have purchases!
limits and are getting out pine logs. towing them
| across Lake Huron to the American side, are now
| urging the Dominion Government to rcmpose the
/ export duty on pine. il not on spruce logs They
say as before. that this is the only way 10 compel
| the Americans 10 erect mills in Canada and give
| employment to Canadian labor. The logs go prn-
| cipaly TO Chcboygan. Alpena. Port Huron
Saginaw and other Michigan points, TO Toledo
and Cleveland. and 10 Buffalo. Lockport and
Tonawanda. There are hundred mills the
Saginaw River alone. and all depend almost on
tircly upon getting supply Of logs from the
| Georgian Bay district. IL is about $50 miles by
water from the French and Spanish Rivers in that
district to Saginaw Bay. Many of the Saginaw
mills have salt-worlSS in connection with them
the sawdusi being cheap fuel Some time ago
the Government Of the Province of Ontario,
which owns the pine limits, made il condition
| that all logs should be cut in Canada. This was
aimed at the American m-owners. OF late,
| however the provision about cutting in Canada
has been set aside for the Government naturally
desires to get as much it can for limits and
Americans will buy freely long as they are per-
| mtted to raft the logs to their own mills. The
| Georgian Bay people are angry at the Ontario
| Government and are bringing influence 10 bear
| upon the Government Of the Dominion 10 induce
il 10 reimpcsa the export duty at figure sur
Gcicntly high To destroy the rafting business
They argue that the United States Treasury
| would not dare to add dollar to the American
duty on sawn pine lumber from Canada as III
effect provided by Section 21s Of the Mckinney
act because the American supply of timber Is
running short and Canadian lumber must ne I'M
portcd at any price They forget the illimitable
supply of yellow pine in the Southern States.