East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-06-30
LEvYING UNJUST TRIBUTE.

Every man who has built a house, |
barn. irrigating flume or other inn
provement made of lumber within the
past six months has paid a new trib-
ute to the lumber trust of the North
west states
This Infant industry" fostered by
an unjust tariff is one of the most
oppressive of the trusts that deals di-
rectly with the masses of the people.
From 50 to So per 1000 has been
added to the different qualities of
lumber in the past six months and the
prices are still soaring. Scarcity Of
lumber along the railroad lines is
given as the cause of this rise in
price.
Then. If American forests have been
stripped by the trust, don't force this
unjust tribute and tariff on the
American consumer longer, but open
the Canadian forests which are stand
ing on millions of acres of mountain
tracts. rotting because they have no
market
Open the gate so the man who
builds a shanty on a homestead or a
| mansion in an American city will be
free from this robber lumber trust
When the industry was young and
needed protection. it was Just to grant
tariff on lumber Americans were
willing to pay tribute until the in
dustry was thoroughly established.
But 1t is grown strong and greedy and
aggressive now. and needs no longer
this tribute from the builders of
homes.
Remove the tariff on lumber and
the prices of it will come down again
within tn reach of the poor man and
still return the manufacturer fair
and Just income from his investment
and his industry. But II the tariff
is continued and the manufacturer is
given this extra price by law, he will
make little effort to extend his indus
try into new fields. If the law will
give him something for nothing, why
should he invest money in extending
his mills to new territory where pro-
duction will be cheaper and where a
new supply would be opened to the
markets.
The lumber trust is seeking 20
'jew" down the railroads on the
freight rate on lumber. 1t is the first
trust to howl about high freight rates
but it robs the people right and left
lays a tribute on every poor man who
settles on a homestead with impunity
all through a favoritism granted in
the robber tariff.
This trust and its working are not
far removed from the people, but they
come in direct and keen contact with
the people. Lumber dealers and re-
tailers are powerless in the grasp OF
the big mill trust. The cost of build
ing a house in Pendleton has increas-
ed from 10 to % per cent in the past
year and yet not one cent of this in
crease goes into the pocket of the To-
cal retailer. It is tribute levied on
the consumer by the trust. The price
of news" paper has increased from
10 to 80 per cent in the past year
and yet little of this increase goes
into the pockets of the manufacturer
of paper. but it is levied bv the tim
Der trust.
Millions of acres of Canadian tim
her beckon to the American marke
hut cannot come over the line becaus'
: of the unjust and wicked tariff. TIT
Northwest lumber trust Is stroni
= enough to stand alone now. Let TN
people seek. through their congress
t men. to remove the tariff from lum
=, ber and take this burden OH TN
A builders Of hornes and the reclaimer
D of the wilderness.