The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-11-01
FREE LUMBER.
How 1t VIII Effect Those Engaged In
that Industry.

How 1t VIII Effect Those Engaged In
that Industry
The following letter, which we
have been permitted to publish, ex-
plains itself.
BALTIMORE, Nh, October 10. '94.
George L. Uel2iagt01, Esq.,, Cify
Hotel Frederii&, I'D.
My dear sir:
Yours Of October 8th, is to hand
and contents noted. In reply. I
have to say that the assertion. that
our firm has ever said that free lurn-
Der, or the Gorman-Wilson Co.
tariff bill, would benefit the lumber
trade, IS absolutely false in every
sense OF the word. On the contrary.
IN order to compete with Canadian
free lumber, we were compelled
during the last year to make re-
dUctlon Of 10 per cent. IN the wages
Of our men at Rouceyert, W. Va.
where our manufacturing plant is
located. Since the passage of the
bill, however, we find that this 10
per cent. III wages will cut q very
slight figure in enabling us to COM
pete with free Canadian lum Ger.
We will be compelled to make a re-
duction Of at least rs to 30 per cent.
from that we formerly paid under
the old tariff.
Prior to the passage Of the tariff
bill, Canadian lumber was compar-
atively unknown in the city Of Bal
timore; since its passage it has been
shipped into the city quite freely;
the place has been over run with
travelling statesmen and we are
practically out Of it. In other
words, it is impossible for us to
compete with the low prices that
are now being quoted, owing to the
reduction made by the Wilson bill.
The lumber business generally has
never in my experience been in so
depressed a condition as at present.
and the outlook is no brighter than
1t has been during the whole of
1894.
We consider the free lumber
clause Of the Wilson tariff bill en-
tirely uncalled for, and the only
reason that We could possibly assign
why lumber was made free, was be-
cause the Democratic party was
committed to making something
free, and none of the Senators
seemed to have been entrusted per-
sonally in keeping a tariff on lum-
Der. 1t simply means that Amer-
can Iumbermen, from the stump to
the sawyer, must accept the same
wages that are paid to the Canadian
lumbermen, which, in fact, in
many instances, is so per cent. be-
low the wages that we have paid in
this country for similar work.
Under the reciprocity treaty, put
in force by that wise statesman, MIR.
Blaine, Canada took off the export
duty on logs and we took off 81 per
thousand feet of lumber. This
was done for the purpose of having
Canadian logs manufactured into
lumber in this country, which
would give our mills work and
workingmen something to do. I'm
der this arrangement we were get
ting along quite nicely with our
Canadian friends. No one was
complaining. No one apparently
wanted free lumber. Under the
Wilson bill we have, without getting
anything in return, removed the 81
duty, letting them into our terri
tory with their lumber without any
restrictions whatever, and naturally
they will restore their export duty
on logs of 81 per thousand, which
means that, i'll the future, their
lumber viii be manufactured in
Canada and the American working
man and the American mills cut
out OF that much work.
With kindest regards, | am.