The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-09
Washington Mills Do Not APP
prove Pending Proposals.
WILL OPPOSE REMOVAL OF DUTY
When II Comes to the Matter of
Wood Products. Millmen. ire
speetive OF Partisan Politics. Are
Protecttonists-If Need BE They
VIII Send n Representative to
Plead Their Cause mt Quebec.

The lumber and shingle men OF the state
OF WASHINGTON are by no means satisfied
with the report that the international conn
mission now in session at Quebec is con-
sider;ng The admission Of Canadian logs
free OF duty into United States territory in
return for concession of 81 per thousand
feet on sawed lumber The situation in the
middle west is radically different from that
on the Pacific coast. and the lUnhermen OF
this section are beginning to be bit afraid
tha: the lack of Western representation on
the commission may result dlsastrousy to
the lumber Interests OF the Pacific North
west.
Few men in the United States are better
posted as TO local or general lumber inter-
ests than Victor II. Beckman. editor Of the
Pacific Lumber Trade Journal. To a Post
Intelllsencer reporter yesterday Mr. Beck
man said
The reported proposal to admit logs free
from Canada in return for concession on
sawed lumber is easily understood. IN
Michigan and other states OF the middle
west. where the supply of logs has become
somewhat limited. many American mills
reply on getting logs from the forests OF
Canada At present a duty is charged on
these logs. AT the same time there are
good many saw mills on the Canadian side
ard they in turn are charged a duty on
their output.
The situation in the Pacific Northwest
Is radically different. and IL 3 at this point
that We are peculiarly unfortunate in nav
Ing no representa- Ion on the international
commission now in session az Quebec. The
mills OF the state OF Washington do not
across the border as do the mills of the
middle west. On the contrary the British
Columbia mills have had 10 buy logs from
this side Of the line.
had Thing for Washington.
at is easy. therefore. to see how the
proposed concession would be a very had
thing for the lumber interests of Wash
iugton and the Pacific Northwest. The
British Columbia mills are At present sell
ing no lumber in American territory While
the Wilson bill was in force they shipped
some 2e,eoec feet 10 California and
would have Increased that amount vastly If
they could have been assured that the pro-
visions Of the Wilson bill would be perm
anent so to justify their putting in yards
at San Francisco.
The question has sometimes been asked
me, Why 1t IS that even with the protective
duty on lumber removed the lumber mills
Of Washington could not compete IN the
san Francisco market upon a perfectly even
footing with those of British Columbia =?
The answer IS very easy one. The Cana
dian lu!noermen have vast advantage over
cur mills in the location and selection of
their timber. In this country the ma n who
wishes 10 establish saw mill and Gu; lum-
her must buy his land In Canada the peo-
pie are allowed 10 select their own land and
select their own timber. on a lease instead
or purchase, paying a royalty OF only 80
cents per thousand for stumpage.
AT present the largest humber market
for the output OF Washington mills is Cal
forna That market takes about go 600 ol0
feet OF our lumber per anuum. Our foreign
shipments amount To about $4,000 op1 and
our rail shipments eastward about i25 GO
90 l. Will b. seen from these figures that
California takes nearly as much as :he
foreign and transcontinental markets com
binsd,
While II is true that British Columbia
shipped only about ~ sA 90 feet ~ lumber
to California while the Wilson bill
was in force ard lumber was free Of duty.
Vet l have personal and positive kn0wleage
that the British Columbia mills were pre-
pairing 10 enter that market on a Ear more
extensive scale provided only they were
assured that the provisions Of the Wilson
HI would he permanent. In order - ex-
tend their operations In the California mar
ket they would have had 10 pus in lumber
yards a. San Francisco. and this th.v all
hot think II prudent - do as long as the
provisions Of the tariff were temporary
and huctuRtiuE. II they could have done
tnat. and TIE prov SiOns Of the Wilson hill
had remained IN force the British Column
hia mills wouldn't have done a thing 70 lis
II California T. is the knowledge 81
This fact that makes every practical Wash
!ngton lumaerm3n a protec1.oniSt when L
comes to lumber. irrespective Of partisan
politics.
Effect of the Wilson Bin