The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
BY ]. e. Kelley.
LII authorities practically agree
\ 4lnH L, ElaiS n.

tant when it will be necessary either to
look elsewhere for lumber or find some
thing else to take it's place as building
material. Yet, in the face Of these adj
mitted facts, we have duty imposed
to $3.50 per 1000 feet, specific rates,
while on some grades the duty runs as
high as 20 per cent advalorem, which,
at the price that lumber is now selling
for, would bring the duty up to SIS or Sc
per 1000 feet. -. - .....%~.- 3.
\ Yet, even these exorbitant rates
would not be complained of if they
had been imposed for the purpose of
raising money to pay the expenses Of
the government but such is not the
case, for, under. the operation of the
law the duty on lumber is nearly pro- |
hibltory,. as will be seen by consulting
the Statistical Abstract of the United
States, which shows that the entire i'm
portaItio1n Of Of l lumber for the year 1904
was but 589, $4,000 feet. Thus, while
the duty imposed on lumber does
not bring revenue to the government
In any appreciable measure. it is most
effective in assisting the trust, as it
enables the latter to take from the
pockets Of the American people sum
equal to the amount of the duty i'm
How the Tariff Works.
IL Canadian dealer sends lumber to
this country he must pay, in addition to
Whatever the extra freight charges
the border line. This sum, Of course,
ne adds to all other costs and charges
as ne likes the price to his American
customer. But TIE American manufac-
curer OF lumber does not have this tariff
tax to pay; he can put the price on his
lumber to just. that extent higher, over
ana above all other costs, and after
with the Canadian dealer. Or he can
cut little below the price of the Can.
adam dealer and put the latter out Of
business (Which he .does), and then
force the American consumer to paw
him the full amount of the tariff added
to all other costs and profits, for the
Jumper trust has Sc arranged matters
that when foreign lumber is shut out,
competition is entirely eliminated. ex,
cept as hereinafter stated. 49,
mus, while it is somewhat disa gree
able to be obliged to deal with an in
stitution in business way that has
reached, the, utmost limits Of .unfairness
az will be proved by this brief review
feature Of the situation is that it is
sustained and actually assisted in it's
efforts, by the policy at present pur-
sued by the government Of the United
| States. e.. ...,41N:- ,-a,~
Indeed, so wholly unnecessary and
unfair was a duty on lumber considered
that, when the Dingley bill was before
rose in his place to defend such an i'm
i position, but the trust performed effect
iv work before the. committee on ways
and means, and the duty on lumber re-
manned in the bill with many other
schedules nearly. as bad. And what
makes the situation more humiliating is
the. fact that a sop: was thrown. to the
agricultural people Of the west in plac-
ing duty on wheat, oats, corn, rye,
barley. potatoes, peas, hay, ETC., presum-
ing, of course, that the people Of the
west were SO i'll versed in the laws of
! economics as to believe that the price
Of those articles could be enhanced by q
tions usually and naturally existing in
, this country. .l
? Demand, Supply and the Tariff.
.. stand the question of tariff taxation
, will readily perceive that whenever the
supply, Of any article is largely in ex
abroad to seek both it's market and it.
:. price, a tariff, in the absence Of {
trust, in no way affects the price
!, Hence, all wheat grown in Canada O.
+ South America is as positively in com
= petition with wheat grown in tn.
z United States as it would be if sucl
: wheat had been grown here, or if it hat
y stored at the present time, that is tn
a export portion Of such wheat. This con
h dltiOn will always remain as it now i
so long as those countries produce larg
4 amounts for export. for the price Of tn
a exports fixes the price of the whole, il
fhr,C Ico - ,o%l
j. tifcial means Of holding up prices
g The sooner the American farmers lear
. that they are victims and not beneficial
. ries Of tariff taxation, the sooner the
4 will be able to act in their own inter
est. And what is true Of farmers i
q connection with a tariff, applies wit
equal force to. all whose success in me
- terial advancement depends upon thei
~ success. s.
y Should the farmers organize a trus
3 and hold up the price Of their produc
~ within the limits Of the United States
~ they could then derive benefit fro1
a the tariff, as the lumber trust an
. others are now doing, but 50 far the
~ have refrained from this and are, az
- cordingly, at the mercy of all othe
~ combinations. without even an organ
~ zation for self protection.
Conditions Affecting Lumber.
In The policy OF the lumber trust, how
10 ever, does not differ materially frol
s. the policy Of the beef trust or like col
10 Germs, except that different method
- may be required to- meet different COZ
ar ditions. The policy of all trusts is
: employ the most effective means to pr
II competition out of existence in tn
"a shortest possible space Of time. TIL
the lumber trust has done, and is sti
doing to the fullest extent of its pov
ers. It's plan is to put in two yarc
It. in each town, and, Of course, make
al appear that they are competing for IL
al business. of the community. When til
ne people discover, as they usually do, ths
I'd they are both owned by the trust, an
at complaints become loud against exto
Is tionate prices, third yard is usual
y, put in, under the management of tt
i'd trust, but ostensibly as a competin
yard seg
Sometimes there may be stockholde,
interested in one of the trust yards WI
ne are not interested in other yards, whic
may be located in the same town or
ne other nearby towns. In that case, tt
agents are supplied with sectional map
Ia showing the territory to which the sal
Eof each agent must be confined. 1, Thu
ne Eshould a purehasef come from terrttOl
indicated on the MAP as being trib1tal
Ut to- another trust. yard in a nearby tow
TIC nonf *, n III :.