The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-15

SEATTLE. FRIDAY. JAN. Is.
PROTECTION on FOREIGN LUMBER.

PROTECTION on FOREIGN LIABER-
The Democratic and Populist papers
which are opposing revision OF the tariff
upon protective lines are making an espe-
cial point OF attack upon the proposition
to reimpose duty upon lumber. The
styie Of argument used by the free trad
ers Ia illustrated by the following from
the Pittsburg Post:
" Protest Us from foreign lumber cry
the lumber combines to the ways and
means committee. Yet in the fiscal year
49, we shipped 20 the United Kingdom
& go 90 worth OF lumber. to Germany
szse go: British North America. 500. 600;
the West Indies. sgo0 90; Argentina, near
u 10000: Brazil. about $4,000; Africa,
$3.50 600: British Australasia, 10000. IT
would be a benefit in the long run could
We suspend the consumption or exporta-
tlon OF homegrown lumber for a few
years and depend entirely on imported
lumber for our wants. of course that is
Impossible. but we certainly should re-
train from putting a premium on the
devastation Of our forests, by heavy taxes
on imported lumber. for the benefit of
trusts"
IL the Pittsburg Post knew anything
about the details of the lumber business,
II would know that Of the lumber
shipped 10 the countries named, ali
OF the cargo shipments TO Australasia
ard South Africa and a large per-
centaEs Of those to the United King
dem. were made from the ports OF Puget
Sound. A little further investigation
would reveal the fact that the mills on
Puget Sound can ship lumber TO the Brit
ish stands, 10 Australia. to South Africa,
TO Asia or TO South America for con-
siderabIy less money per thousand feet
than II can ship thu same lumber into
the statss Of the Mississippi valley. not to
mention those OF the further East. In
these foreign countries the lumber of this
section comes into competition with Ca
madam and other lumber. which has TO
pay identically the same freight rates In
the middle West IL comes into competi-
tion with Canadian lumber shipped across
the border. and on which the freight
rates range from less than q quarter OF
tho amount paid by the Pacific coast ium-
her producer upwards.
The talk about Lumber combines is
simply a piece Of Populistic buneombs.
There are now in existence no lumber
combines IN the nature of trusts. The
number OF small concerns with a limited
capital engaged in the various branches
OF the lumber business is out OF all pro-
portion greater than Is the case with any
other manufacturing business in tho
country. In this section of country tho
number OF concerns engaged In the diff
fsrent branches OF lumber manufacturing
which have each an invested capital of
less than $4,000 are at least Ave times as
numerous as those which have a larger
capital. and small mills are common in
many parts OF the United States.
LAUNDERING Is the great industry in this
Part OF the country: more people ara in
terestsd in it than in any other oocupa-
ton except possibly farming. II 10 the
smaller concerns. not the larger ones.
which are most seriously affected by Can
madam competition. while on the other
hand it l. the larger mills. not the smaller
ones. which are exclusively engaged in
the foreign shipments 70 which the Post
refers. The only combine" OF lumber
men which mas ever been Effected on this
coast was combine OF these big mills.
and the combination was designed solely
20 affect the prices OF cargo shipments
81 lumbar. The smaller mills. which make
up by far the greater number. are. as a
rule. built on the lines OF the railroad.
ard their sole market Is the one which
they can reach by raii-the states OF the
middle Vast.
A protectivs tariff on lumber would.
- Far ss the lumber industry Of the state
% Washington Is concerned. save large
number Of small capitalists engaged in
,ha, business trOm the ruinous eompeti-
,ion 81 foreign mills. which already. BY
natara conditions, have q great advan-
tAEe IN cheaper freight rates TO the COM
aoa market In the United States.