The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-08-01
|IIIL MIN PROTEST.
AGAINST JOBBERY
pV FIGHTING M0N0P0LISTIC CLEAR
WATER SCHEME F0STERED BY 0BNOX-
IOUS MEMBERS OF LATE
LEGISLATURE.

afford fair competitive market 1t is
therefore essential to the welfare of the I
citizens who have invested in this section c
that these streams be kept open.
And not only is no improvement needed |
but the amount proposed to be spent by s
this company thirty five thousand dbl
lars-would be utterly inadequate if any
real improvement were required; and :
considering the value of the franchise,
the amount proposed TO be expended is
so small as to raise suspicious as to the
good faith of the Idaho River Improve
ment company Annually during the
term of the franchise it is estimated that
two hundred million feet of Lumber
would be brought down these streams,
which at an average toll of fifty cents per
thousand, (one-half the toll asked by the
Idaho Boom Company organized by these
same gentlemen would return to the
company one hundred thousand dollars
year, or one million, five hundred
thousand dollars during the term of the
| franchise. This toll alone would be
double the present cost of logging with
I'out any improvement, and this is the
price to be eXacted of timber owners and
mill men for the use of Improvements
costing originally thirty-five thousand
dollars, and which confer no apparent
benefit
If this franchise is acquired by the
Idaho River Improvement Company and
remains in the hands of that company as
now constituted the results will be disas-
trous, but not the worst that might fol-
low. 1t will place heavy burden in
tolls on investors in this section, decrease
| the holdings frighten away capitol anu
practically ruin many small mill owners
But if this company itself engages in the
manufacture of lumber, or ii the fran
chise is sought for speculative purposes
l and with intent to, transfer it to someH
q powerful corporation engaged in the lum-
ber bvsiness, it means ruin for all thel
Z small mills and timber owners. Ana IN
! this connection two facts are slgnln-
/. cant-frst, that the men who are seek
I ing this franchise have no important IN
f teresis of their own TO develop and are
not practical lumbermen, and it is hardly
e to be presumed that they would venture
q their whole capital in an enterprise WIFI
the practical workings OF which tney are
i Unfamiliar: and second, that the Weyer-
n hause syndicate, having larger noloings
. in this section Than any other nrll anu
U naturallythe first who would resist the
il franchise, are assuming an atttuue Vi
Indifference and at the same ume coni,
/ pleting preparations to acquire mn
re- site for the manufacture oil thelr lun,o
Ii is at once apparent that such ileu-
10 chise in The hands of such syndicate
wonld he a nowerful instrument OF op-
nression. enabling them TO create mon
* nolv for their own benefit, to crush the
IN competition of the small mills by SUD-
iecting them to unjust tolls, and once
u controlling the only channels oil traue,
; leaue the entire region bottled up ano
- undeveloped until they had acquired Uh'
5. standing timber at their own fsures.
no We do not wish to appear IN tne atCl
: tude of antagonizing capital we reallz' .,l
he that for the fullest development Oh ln
~ state. large capital must come out wv
y do not believe that it is wise or safe "
In inst to deliver the control OF the streaul
nh and the natural resources OF tlle sVSS ~
into the hands of any corporatlon vi "
by dividual to the. exclusion OF others: ~
80 ought canital to demand the sacrlhce .
the rights of others as conoltion "a ~
is- coming. -
he These settlers aud small mill men nav
done ploneer work in opening ana uesv s 7;
las oninq the resources Of the STATE auu
hv nrenaring the way for greater ao"is
ment. thew have labored well ana tlie
Ige whole fortunes in many instances ar :
stake; and we protest that the pogS' an
the state which we have ioVsu ~
ms served ought not TO be used 10 oellfsr T,
me hound into the hands os specuia'o''
9 . more powerful competitors a.,
= The last paragraph is the one 'D'
a., ~ will appeal to the people at larR'
;" In no state has the pioneer-no lna
~ Ter of what line of industry-enpU'
'ns himself to higher places in the near
of the public, and ldahos peop
E !, Is would soonest have their "ra'
ar aroused over the prospect o. =
II,e I9', pioneer mill men Of the clssrwu''
ms 10 whose patient toll and energy
free free overcoming the rude obstacles o. p
iore primitive wilderness and fu'p'su', -'l
'sss 'ys an available supply Of eo@usl'.
bic lumber. IS due IN great msss'
gss gss the advancement and civilization
u Of their part Of the statel being etusu
.s 1hs ont and driven from the ns'q y
Foy- powerful monopoly from 'slp
laye oaa the Rockies and u the ~