Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-03-03
LUMBER PROTESTS.
Some Remarks to the Ways
and Means Committee.
A STATEMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.

III Free Lumber VIII Ruin the BuSiuess
II on this Side of the Lakes-The Size of
the Industry Set Forth in Big Figures
and Trust Declared ImpossibIe-The
| Points Urged.
AsHINGToN, March 3.-The report of
the committee on resolutions which
was adopted by the lumbermen's s
convention yesterday is really a
statement of facts concerning the
| lumber industry addressed to congress. as
follows: "First-The lumber industry of
the United States is the largest single
manufacturing industry of the country.
representing an investment of capital of
sot less than $3.50 00O, 900 ana furnishing
! the means of livelihood to at least 3 900 600
of our people. In this connectiC it is
proper TO invite your attention to the fact
that all official statistics heretofore pub
llshed have simply comprehended the
manufacture of lumber by milling estab-
hshments only; the cutting of the trees
and transportation to the mills never hay
ing been included.
| Magnitude of the Industry
| Second--Th he total manufactured prod
ucts of the saw mills of the country,
amounting in the aggregate to at least
s3OO 100000 annually, are equal in value to
the total products of all the mines in the
country, including gold, silver copper,
lead, iron, coal and all other minerals
"Third-Our production is distinctivcly
manufactured article and not raw mate
rial, and very large percentage of it is
used directly in the construction of build
| ings in the form in which it leaves the
mills, and the principal element of its cost
| is labor.
"Fourth-The industry we represent is
! not confined to any one state or section of
the country, but extends from Maine TO
| California and from the great lakes to the
| Gulf OF Mexico
| Cannot Go Into "A Combine.
For this reason it is entirely incapable
| OF consolidation or combination in the
| form of trusts or other organizations
| against the interests of consumers; and
| for the same reason the keenest competi-
| tlon, which is always a producer of low
values, exists. Our resources and pro-
| ducing capacity are and will fully be equal
to the present as well as to the ultimate
demands of our people; in fact we now ex-
port forest products to the amount of
sc, ,263, Oh
| posed to improve the favorable conditions
under which the Canadian manufacturer
| is enabled to compete with us in the
| markets of the world.
Advantages the Canadians Have.
some of these conditions are as fol-
lows: (A) None of the standing timber of
British America is owned in fee simple by
| the lumbermen, but it is obtained by the
payment to the respective provincial gov
ernments of a nominal sum as royalty, so
that he has no ilvestment whatever in
| timber lands, and pays no taxes or interest
| thereon. He simply pays to the govern
| ment certain sum for the privilege of
| controlling the timber limit OBJ In Brit
ish Columbia stumpage is now offered at
SO cents per 600, payable when the timber
is cut, and il case the product is exported
rebate of so per cent. is allowed by the
government.
Policy oS the Dominion.
"(C) Itisthe policy of the provincial gov
| ernment to aid and encourage the manu-
| facture of forest products by the construc-
| tion of highways, the removal of obstruc-
tlons from the streams, the,couStruction of
dams, chutes, fumes, docks and other
appliances for the transportation of lum-
Der and logs. CD In addition TO the fore
going advantages offered to the Canadian
| lumbermen the cost of camp supplies and
provisions to p per cent. less than in the
| states, and the scale of wages is cores
pondingly less. The effect of these and
other conditions places the Canadian pro-
ducer at an advantage over his American
| competitor, the only protection to whom is
| the American tariff.
| Prices Now at the Bottom.
"SiXth-The advantages above enumer-
1 &,I l.l1 Il o.. IL
lean are equal to at least 800 per 1000,
and the taxes, interest on the investment,
together with the risks to which the Amer
lean is exposed from wind, fire, and food
is equal to another dollar per 900
| "Seventh-The price of American lum-
ber during the last ten years has gradually
declined until it has reached a point in the
| downward trend of prices below which it
| is impossible for the American manufac-
turer to go.
Tariff Should Not Be Changed.
| 'In view of this fact we submit that the
present American tariff should remain as
it is; and we further submit that in case
| the duty Is removed one of two results
| must follow; either the present price of
| Canadian stumpage will be advanced SO
| that the American consumer will reap no
| advantage whatever, and at the same time
| the government lose the revenue which 1t
now derives from lumber imported from
Canada, or prices of American lumber
viii be reduced, which will compel a cor
responding reduction of the wages now
paid to American laborers employed in
this industry.
@Eighth-The present duty of 81 per 900
does not exceed per cent. ad valorem.
Unless the entire policy Of encouragement
OF American industries is to be abandoned
no one should suggest an imposition of q
| lower rate than this.
| Summing Up the Case.
"Ninth-Tne summing up of this whole
case presents the question:: Shall the lum
ber resources of Canada and British Co
| lumbia be developed while those OF our
own country (the Pacific and southern
states in particularly lie dormant, or shall
this vast industry in our country enjoy to
limited extent the protection the present
| duty afforSiss and the question in its an