The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-21

SEATTLE. SUNDAY, FEE. Fl.
oum SHARE or PROTECTION.

In the preparation % TIE new tariff biu
g. f. apparent that ths tEo great indus
tries cf coal mining ard lumber cutting
s. both - which Washington 81 heavily In
ferestea. are % receive fan and adequate
protection. II seems probable that a duty
o. 81 per thousand win Be- imposed upon
Iunsber. ard e has been definitely an
noaneea that tire former Mckinley duties
unou coal wfl he rs-estahlishe8 Tire rs
sait Of the passage q the tariff bil with
taess provisions IN IL vii De wonderful
Improvement IN the condition OF those two
great industries.
The Washington lHmbernen have, under
tie provisions ~ the existing iaw. been
subjected 10 foreign competition In two OF
tAeiF leading markets. In California they
have been forced 10 compete with ths
Eritish Columbia Inmnermeu. and in the
states of the middle west trey have been
practically excluded from the market by
Canadian competition. the iumbermen OF
the latter section having tso great ad-
vantage IN their favor OF lower freight
rate and a shorter haul.
IL il In the California market for coal.
however. that one OF wasaington's great
est industries has had TO meet with the
most serious foreign competition ever
since the Wilson law reduced the duty on
coal. In the markets OF California. dur
ius the past year, there were sold and
uass aa2 So tons OF imported foreign Goals.
val.e OF washington coal there was sod
bat asst sss tons
The Washington coal industry does not
seek higher duty on coal for the purpose
OF thus being enabled TO charge higher
price TOR It's product What IL wanted IL
market for more coal at the present
prices. and a. the market is limited this
can only be had BY the adoption OF tarin
regulations which will tend 90 keep the
competing foreign Goals out Of that mar
ksl
There are coal mines enough In the state
OF Washington. either already in opera
ton Or which could be readily put in OPP
Grafton n there were a market for the
product which could nearly. II not quite,
supply the entire Pacific coast demand for
coal. The owners OF these properties
would be glad TO supply that demand at
present prices.
IL costs practically nothing to deliver
English or Australian coaI in the San
Francisco markets. The ships OF the
wheat feet bring cnrgoes OF coal az a
merely nominal fgeigat rate, because II
they did not take eargoes OF this class
they would % compelled 70 come In bal
las. The Washington coaI operators can
net meet this foreign competition BY low
ering prices. because prices cannot be cut
without either reducing wages or entirely
eliminating the margin OF profit. and the
dealers ia foreign coal mined by cheaper
labor ana transported 10 the Pa
eiac coast market a. fully as cheap
a freight rate c2n.d readily meet any pos
slh,a cut in prices. 30 II is that the price
% domestic coal nxos the price o. the for
slgn artie.a The superiority Of the latter
Is unquesuones. and Il is not necessary
Tor the dealers 90 cut the price below that
of tao domestic coal IN order 20 sell.
me increase IN the tariff VIII not AFFECT
TIE consumers oy increasing the price o;
Goa Il viii slmply decrease To- lnp0rta-
tson ~ foreign oos3 and thus afford n
better market Tor tae Washington prod
net.