Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-11-02


OF small sloops enter the city of Nicto
ria and other British Columbia port.
from WILDLY Island, Orcas Island
san Juan Island. Fidalgo Island
Snohomish, Skagit. Whatcom and
other counties with produce Of various
kinds for the British Columbia mar
kets. Others import, direct from east
OF the mountains in large quantities
produce such as the farmers raise.
Another heavy expense that q
British Columbia lumberman has to
contend with is the heavy duty on
sawmill machinery. Nearly all of his
machinery comes from the United
States and he has to pay Canadian
duty of 33 per cent. al valOrem, go
you see the cost of building mill is
much greater than here. Likewise, it
is more costly to operate a mill in
British Columbia.
speaking OF cheap labor, I don't
think there is anything in British Co.
lumbia to compare with the cheapness
OF the labor of come OF the mills in
the State OF Washington. l am told
that Simpson employs in the mills on
the Columbia river and in South Bend
men at 81 per day.
"Now l want to say something re-
garding this great howl of British Co
lumbia mills entering the California
market. 1t has been said that all the
leading mills Of British Columbia have
agents in California. They may have
l have a man in California who is
there with view OF selling lumber not
locally, but foreign, as San Francisco
is also the headquarters OF vessels and
the headquarters of brokers that con-
troll foreign trade. Consequently all
mills look to San Francisco as their
headquarters for selling their product.
l noticed in the Press a few days ago
OF ono cargo having been sold to Cali
fornia direct and which also seems to
have been enlarged on very much. l
am familiar with the parties and the
cargo as we'll. The cargo was sold di-
rect to the Pacific Pine Company or
trust, which is composed of the diff
ferent mills of the Sound and Gray's
Harbor, which is looked upon in Cali
fornia as a great monopoly and is fre-
quently called the lumber octopus
"They are the very people that are
making the greatest howl about this
British Columbia lumber, yet they are
the very ones that purchased this
small cargo of spruce lumber from
New Westminster, B. c.
Il had heard it stated and have
read in the Press, that Puget Sound
lumbermen are at a great disadvanta tage
and are unable to charter foreign ves-
sells for shipments to United States
ports and that British Columbia mills
have the right and privileges to char
ter British vessels to ship to United
States ports. This is all very true,
but if you will look into this matter
you will see that there is no advantage
whatever. No British vessel of any
consequence will take shipments for
such short distance. They want
long-distance cargoes and not local
traffic. Besides nearly all British YES
sells are large iron ships. They are
not built for the lumber business, all
lumber having to be slowed through
matches in the ship, and all loading
being done by stevedores, whereas
American coasting vessels unload with
their crew. Consequently it comes
much cheaper than by foreign vessels.
Most of the lumber from British Co
lumbia is shipped in American bot
toms.
ave must also remember that the
Australian market is q very large
market and of great consequence to
Puget Sound lumbermen. Australia
is British colony and naturally the
British colonies are friendly to each
other and prefer trading with each
other and it would perhaps be better
to let we'll enough alone and not an
tagonize British Columbia lumbermen
by misleading statements.
cas- l stated before l am Republi-
can, a protectionist and believe in
protecting infant industries. If l
lived in Canada l would be q protec-
zionist, as the small industries need
protection from the large industries
of the United States and England.
But Puget Sound mills are not infants
in comparison with British Columbia
mills, and need have no fear of the
competition the British Columbia
mills will give them. The greatest
competition Puget Sound mills have
to-day and will always have are the
mills Of the Southern States, where
timber is cheaper than here and where
negro labor is almost exclusively used
at so cents per day. This interview
has been longer than / expected, but
1 simply want to correct some of the
misstatements going the rounds re-
garding this lumber business. Any
one can 60 to British Columbia
and see for themselves if they think
what l have said is not true. The
real facts are easy to find out, and l
don't believe in misstating things"
ONLY think of it, A mob attempt
ed to hang q black man in Ohio-one
OF the States OF the Grand Old Party.
We can hardly believe it. 1t is rea-
sonable that such q thing could hap
pen in the Democratic States of the