The Portland daily press., 1893-11-29

Portland Yesterday-Diverse Views of
Lumber Dealers
The new tariff bill was the subject of
considerable comment among business
men in this city yesterday. Opinions
venture opinions as to the effects of the
measure should it become law. The
lumber schedule is one of great import
ance from the Maine point of view, since
Maine is great producer of spruce lum-
Der, from which Mr.. Wilson intends to
thousand. Portland is quite centre
for the lumber business, and Portland
dealers reflect all shades of opinion on
the subject. Those dealers who buy and
sell, but do not manufacture view with
equanimity the change, as it will open
to them on easier terms the Canadian
supplies, to which they already resort
Those who have mills in Canada are
of course pleased to see move to take off
the duty. The two dollars which they
have been paying on the lumber which
they have brought into the American
market, would not have to be paid. This
would increase the value of their
Canadian stumpage, and bring them
right "into town" as the saying is.
But the men who are running mills on
this side of the line, employing American
workingmen at American prices, talk in
a diffppnnf IL
ticipate that the price Of their commodity
would fall to the full extent of the duty
removed, but they would expect a
material and important fall. Already
competition has brought the margin of
profits down to narrow basis, and an
extra reduction OF prices must result in
a cutting down of the wages of labor.
Indeed, the prospect Of the changes now
announced has been operating for some
time to depress the lum Der market and it
is now in very bad condition. Asin
the textile industries in this state it has
been necessary to reduce wages; and one
OF the most recent announcements is
that the present dullness has compelled
reduction of ten per cent by the Berlin
Mills company of this city. This com
pany employs seven hundred men in
Maine and New Hampshire The reduc-
tlon has already been made in the pay of
the loggers; and will soon follow with
the remainder of the crew.
Besides the direct connection with the
lumber business Portland also has an in
direct relation which is of no little mag
nitude. The supplies for the winters
operations all over Maine, are drawn
largely from Portland merchants. Among
wholesale merchants there seemed to be
the impression that the reduction of the
duty on potatoes from rs cents to 10 cents
bushel would let in a great MANY
Province potatoes. but might not make
the prices much lower to the American
consumer. The Provincial producer now
pays the duty except in cases where the
home supply is very short.
Mr.. J F. Sprague of Monson, was in
the city yesterday. He thought the
new tariff bill would, should it become
law, interfere greatly with the slate
industry, which is important in his part
of the state. The Maine slate is as good
as that mined in:Walessand the Maine
quarrymen do not fear to compete with
the Welsh quarries, but over in Canada.
near the lines of the Grand Trunk and
Canadian Pacific lines, new quarries of
slate have just been opened that are
turning out very similar products to that
quarried here. Labor is very mich
cheaper there than in Maine, and the re-
suit must be very bad for the Maine
miners and their operatives if the new
law reduces the tariff on states from
30 to 20 per cent and on roofing from Is
to 10 per cent.
The Monson Maine Slate company has
an investment of 100000 and when
business is good pays out eight or ten
thousand dollars month. Besides this
there are several other plants in this
vicinity, owned by Massachusetts, and
Portland capitalists.