The San Francisco call., 1896-08-04

ance in the ratio then existing would very
soon leave the country without a source of
supply within its own borders. So welded
was the main consuming class to the use OF the
principal product of said section that Tor a
time no source of supply was deemed avail
able except that existing in Canada, contlgu-
Gus thereto; hence a temporary leaning to-
wards the abrogaiion of duty on white pine in
order that such supply might be available.
The trend OF sentiment in that direction was,
however, of short life; the vast areas OF yell
low pines in the Southern States attracted
marked attention, and the liberal investment
of capital led to a phenomenal development of
the lumber industry in that section, supple
mented by so great an activity in the intro
ducticn of its products in the territory prevl-
ously the domain of white pine that to-day
the substitution is so fully accepted that any
reliance upon Canadian timber is absolutely
unnece ssary, with the further certain effect
that should the same find entry to displace the
Southern product 1t would be deathblow to
this industry that in the past five years has so
greatly enlarged the taxable values OF that Sec
tion.
Additionally to the ''entree'' of the Southern
products of the Middle West of the United
States is a growing Shipment trade by rail
from the Pacific Coast, increasing yearly and
to continue increasing hereafter, provided the
exclusion OF the products of our Northern
neighbors is maintained and should the old
Northwest be entirely denuded of her timber
the new Northwest of the Pacific Coast Jointly
with the Southern States from their vast areas
OF virgin timber las affirmed by the forestry
reports of the Interior Department. positively
guarantees for generations a full supply for
the Nation within its territorial limits.
The question of supply for the future being
so well established from said sources and as
suming that the same excess prod ucing
capacity exists in the Southern States in re-
lation TO consumption that is condition on
the Pacific Coast (where such capacity is
nearly three times the consumption) the COM
petition thereby engendered becomes GER
tain assurance of low prices to consumers and
it is indeed difficult to imagine any grounds
whatsoever for opening the markets of the
United States to foreign lumber.
Thus far this presentation may be deemed as
applying to the country at large; there are,
however, conditions existing on this coast that
further appeal to the consideration of your
honorable committee We refer to methods OF
transportation and the advantages to the mill
owner in British Columbia growing out OF
the protective tendencies OF its Government.
The shipping ports OF British Columbia are
adjacent to those on the American side and
no farther distant from points OF consumption,
whether the shipments are by the way of the
Pacific Ocean to domestic coast ports or by
rail to the Eastern States. The American mill
owner is by the laws of the Nation CON-
PEELED TO use in the coasting trade tonnage OF
American register exclusively, while ii our
domestic markets are opened to the mills OF
British Columbia without restriction the own
ers on that side would have the choice of all
flags in their carriers, thus to all intents and
purposes 1nterjecting foreign bottoms into the