Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-03-18

bill huI lccu introduced IN congress for
plrciu,, lumber on the tree list, There is dan
ger ahead! United and prompt action is
necessary
You axe requested to meet in mass convcn-
ton N Washington, y. &, nj %. IN, March
/ 1892, for the purpose OF considering the
subjects oil American markets for American
in 50 lar H. il applies /" lumber. and for the
transaction at such other business as may
come before the meeting.
Numbers count! Come and assist in avert
ing disaster from your business interests!
having under consideration House Bill 1888.
entitled g., rill to place lumber on the free
list" beg leave to state the following facts
concerning that industry and TO present to
you tine resolutions Pa>Scdhy said convention
on Match =, 1892.
1.-The lumb,r industry of the United States
is the largest single industry OF the country,
representing an Investment Of capital of not
ly,s than $3.50. 900 900, and furnishing the
means of livelihood to At least three millions
| OF uug people.
In this connection it is proper to invite your
attention to the TACT that all official statistics
heretofore published have simply cumpre-
hcndcd the manufacture OF lumber by milling
Establishments only. the cutting OF the trees
and transportation to the mills never having
been ncadvd
SAW mills OF the country. amounting IN tho
| a. Src&atc to at least $500. 900. 600, equal in
value the total OF all mines Of the country.
! including gold, silver, copper lead, iron, coal
| ana all other minerals.
| Sour production j. diStinctively Il manu-
factu-cd article AM not raw material and
| very larre per ,ontaSc OF IT IS used directly in
the construction OF buildings in the form III
a. a.
element OF ITS cost Is labor.
| THE Industry represent is not confined
! t. any one state or section Of our country
/ bat cNtcn,,~ from Maine 10 California. and
trum the great iu@cs 10 the Guii ct M,Nto.
! Fox tins reason 1t IL entirely incapable OF
, consolidation .r continuation in the form ct
trusts or other organizations against tho
Interests OF III, consumer, and for the same
reason the kccuc>t competition, which is
always the producer ct low values exists.
our resources and producing capacity alc and
will he fully equal to the present as we'll as
ultimate demands OF our people, In fact, We
now export forest products to the amount OF
$50. @G3.O14.
5-9y the bhl referred TO- it is proposed to
improve the favorable conditions under which
the Canadian manufacturer is enabled t.
compete with rs IN the markets ct the world.
some OF these conditions are rs follows
90 None Of the standing timber in british
America is owned in fee simple by the lumber.
men. hut is obtained by the payment to the
respective provincial governments % "a nomi.
nal sum as royalty, 50 that he has no invest.
mrnt whatever IN trthcr lands, and pays no
taxes or interest thereon. he simply pays to
TIC government a certain sum for the priv,
lee i controlling the timber limits
tBJ In British Columbia stumpngc is now
being offered ut 80 cents a thousand. payable
when the timbe. is cut and in case the pro,
duet is exported rebate Of 80 cents is al.
lowed by the government.
CO. 1t is the policy Of the provincial gov.
eminent t. aid and encourage the mnnutac.
turc Of forest products 10y the construction
Of highways, the removal of distractions
from streams, the construction OF dams
ehutcS fumes, docks and other appliances 10!
the transportation Of lumber and logs.
90 In addition to the foregoing advnntn
Ees enjoyed by the Canadian lumbe rmcn the
cost of camp supplies and provisions are %
per cent less than in the States and the scale
ofwaEcs il corrrSp ondingly less. The effect o
these and other conditions places the Cana
dian producer at an advantage over hi,
American competitor, the only protection &c
whom is the American tariff.
6-Thc advantages above enumerated held
by the Canadian over the American ar,
equal to at least ST thousand, and tn,
taxes. interest on the Investment, together
with the risks to which the American is e1
posed from wind fire and flood is full,
= equal to another ST a thousand.
The price of American lumber during the
last ten years has gradually declined until il
has reached point in the downward trcnC
, of prices below which it is impossible for tho
American manufacturer to go. In view .
this fact, We submit that the present Ameri
can tnriii should be allowed to remain as i
il; and we further submit that in case til,
duty is removed, one of two results must fol
low Either the present price of Canadian
stumpage will be advanced so that the Amer
can consumer will reap no advantage what
{ ever, or prices of American lumber will he re
, duced, which will compel corresponding re
| duction in the wages now paid to American
Z Iaborcrs employed in this industry.
S-Thc present duty or 81 II thousand doe
not exceed 10 per cent ad valorem. Unlcs
n the entire policy of encouragement to Ameri
Ican industries il to be abandoned, no on
: should suggest the imposition of a lower rat
I than this.
o-The summing up Of this whole case pre-
= SCENTS the question: Shall the forest resource
y of Canada and British Columbia be dcvel
. opcd, while those of our own country (th
Pacific and Southern States in particular II
G dormant? or shall this vast industry in on
own country enjoy to limited extent tn
protection which the present duty affords
l. The question in it's entire breadth also Or,
sents the fact that the bill against which W
> now protest proposes to open the cntir
6 northern boundary Of the United states fror
. sea to sea, to the forest products of the Brit
ish possessions in North America. ignorin
c the extensive interests not only of our ow
resources along our middle and eastern horde
now beng operated. but Gripping the vas
) interests Of the Pacific slope and rich forest
covering an extensive area of our southcr
states, the influence Of which is awnkenin
the most serious apprchcnsions of thousan nd
l. who have invested their all In purchase ,
IN this stumpogc from the government whc
now proposes to discriminate so uniusti
against them, and to the irreparable inur
re OF hundreds of thousands of laborcrs holdin
allegiance to that same government, nm
ID giving preference to foreign labor and capiti
IL that contribute nothing to our institution
or countrys wealth.
lie 1t is therefore
Resolved, Tint we respectfully and en-
IN nestly protest against the removal Of II
"a present. duty on lumber.