Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-05-24
PROTEST AGAINST FREE LUMBER

EDITOR HERALD: / would like you
to find room in your columns for the
enclosed letter from Mr.. =. ID. Norton,
which speaks for itself, and is of such
vital importance to our immediate city,
as well as the whole Pacific coast, that
| think every reader of your paper who
may read this letter and who has an
acquaintance in either house of con-
gress, no matter from what section or
state, will not fail to realize the import
ance of writing such congressman, if
only to say vote and work against the
free lumber BILL Every citizen of the
Bay cities must realize the necessity of
fostering, to the fullest extent possible,
the only industry we have in sight
which brings back new dollar to our
state, and such citizen also knows the
prostratiOn now existing in the lumber
business by simply observing the idle
monuments of industry in mills with
no orders and unable to operate because
of low prices prevailing. And such
citizen can also comprehend the result
of allowing our British cousins to
deluge our already over-stocked mar
kets with the product of their mills
much Of it made with foreign labor,
costing less money than we pay our
American people. Only one more
straw is needed to break the cancels
back, and that is free lumber. The
passage of the Bryan bin by congress
would sound the death knell of our
lumber industry; it would mean the
closing of mills now strugglig without
profit; the discharging of all the men
now employed in every branch of the
business; the ruinatiOn of merchants
in every department of trade; the call
ing for bread by hungry children, with
no labor for the father with which to
earn it. 1t would mean a thousand
fold greater disaster than the unthink-
ing masses can easily be made to be-
lieve. 1t would mean to the state of
Washington calamity which it would
require years from which to recover,
and yet our people are unthinxing and
unconcerned upon the subject which is
so threatening to their interests. They
allow few people to fight the big
battle in which all are vitality inter-
ested. The state of Washington cam
not afford to take one single step back
ward. All her interests must be
guarded and fostered, and it is the
plain duty of every citizen to step to
the front and do his full duty in this
matter. / believe our people will do it.
Truly, j. S. MUNDY.
Following is the letter referred to by
Mr.. Mundy, from the president of the
Lumber Manufacturers Association of
the Northwest:
TACOMA, Wash, May 20, 1892.
j. 5. Mundy, Esq, Fairhaven, Wash.
DEAR SIRE. w. Goodyear, of Ruffalo.
n. Y, president of the Lumber Manufac-
tHferS National Association, in forms me
by letter under date of May 18th, that a
strong effort is being made to pass the
Bryan bill, plac ng lumber on the free
list, and that there is powerful infu-
ence at work In Washington to bring
about this result, parties interested in
Tree lumber having In their employ an at
torney at Washington who is engaged
solely for this purpose.
Ihere Is no necessity of my impressinu
upon you the Importance TO the lumber
Interests OF this section that the passage
OF this bill should be defeated and the
present duty retained. viii Won not ex-
err all your personal influence with mem
Ders OF the house Of representatives with
Whom you are acquainted to defeat the
passage OF TINS measure? | trust that
you WI not neglect the matter, and call
the attention OF all lumbermen whom you
ieei may De OF help in the matter, to the
end mat they put themselves in COM
mun1catton by wire and letter with rem
resentajiyes with whom thew are AZ.
quatnted, wife tn view of securing their
assistance In the defeating of this bill
Very truly yours.
II NnpTpH