St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-02
DIsTINCTIVE BENEFIrs.

Republican papers throughout the
Northwest are making great ado
about the proposed abolition of the duty
OIL lumber. and predict all sorts of dis
aSter as likely to befall the lumber in
dustry as consequence. Singular as 1t
may seem, the lumbermen themselves
do not appear to SHARE the gloomy fore
bodings of the press. but on the con-
trarY regard the contemplated change
with eQuanimity, il not with indiffer-
euce. They are not yet making prep
arations for abandoning their business.
or curtailing it in any degree, and with
favorable weather, such as Is now prom
ised, the seasons work will be equal to.
II not far greater than that of any of
the recently preceding years.
There is no doubt that lumbermen are
opposed to placing their product on the
free list, and will do all in their power
10 prevent such result. Men engaged
in any ether occupation would do the
same thing under like circumstances.
Self-protection is the first law of nature.
and Self-aggrandiZementi is simply an eX-
aggerated form of self-protection. Those
who have been pampered 10y luxury
and have grown fat by indulgence nat
urally dislike to be thrown upon their
own resources-to be compelled to work
for what they receive and to contend
for advantage over their fellows. But
1t is often a kindness to them to compel
such effort. When driven TO extremi-
ties men find eXpedients they never be-
fore dreamed of. They see means by
which their business can be made more
profitable. by which they can widen
their sphere OF usefulness. by which
they can utilize resources hitherto neg
lected, by which they can turn to good
account circumstances and conditions
that have been previously overlooked.
SO, instead of being an injury, the with
drawal of protection will undoubtedly
prove benefit to the lumber as well as
to all other interests.
One of the most perniciouS results of
our protective system has been the de-
struction of that feeling of self-reliance
that lies at the foundation of true Amer.
lean manhood. The young bird would
never learn to fly if he were not taken
from his nest by his mother and thrown
from the bough of tree. The mother
bird hovers about him and encourages
him by example, and ere long he is able
TO soar through space with as light
wing and as confident an air as those
much older than he. He might linger
in the nest. to be fed by his elders till
the SHOWS came, without a knowledge
of his own powers. And so it will be
with our various industries. As long as
they are the beneticiarieS of the public
pap they will neglect the opportunities
that might be theirs by proper effort.
They will always be dependent as long
as they are content to be SO. But as
soon as they shall arouse themselves to
the possibilities of their existence they
will start upon career of development
with possibilities that are boundless in
their range.
The GLOBE is confident that the lum-
Der interests of the Northwest will in
no wise suffer by reason of the with
draWal of governmental protection. The
manufacturers may have to work little
harder to retain their trade. They will
have to avoid placing an inferior article
on the market. and take precaution
against the extraordinary waste now
occurring in the conduct of their trade.
They will utilize all the waste product
of the mills, even to the SawdusJ that
escapes into and Injuries the navigation
of our waterways. Means will be found
for extracting profit from the sawdust,
the bark, and the edgings, that are now
practically valueless, and thus do away
with the necessity for the wanton de-
struction of timber.
As with the lumber trade so with
other occupations from which it is pro-
posed to withdraw protection. Energy
and invention will be stimulated; econ
omy will take the place of wastefulness,
and industrial conditions will be vastly
improved.