Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-01-30
The LuMsER TRUST

into The operations OF the lumber
trust. which Senator K,ttredge Of
south Dakota declares IL the king ~
all trusts in resiraint ~ trsde-re
mor-el~ss ia its crap on he T-Opl'.
ard the only change which u c1tt.m-
plates ia ~ incresse the price ~ ts
products ~ stated and frequent inter.
walls, without regard to cost Ht
also SAID that "Vithin the last tye
years the price % lumhrr and t'mh'r
rroduc have arbitrarily advanced
from 10 10 so per cent
S.na,or Kit'rrdge proposed - pro
'.ct the people from thi. mnrppoiy hy
having tN- federal Pove-Gment invest.
gate tn trust, and suggested that
there IL t simple wy 10 help h'esS
the power OF this rapac,ous trust, y
Republican members Of Congress were
willing {, DO ,t, by eating "a 81"
tariff protection. The tsrif tx or
..mhsr rsngr- from 10 10 % FER cent
20 -. vale. and 4! lumber product
wer. placed on tie free list there
would he considerable competition
from Canada sHd other countries that
have surplus Lumber TO sell. The
ensuing competition under free lnm.
Der, joined with the criminal prOsern-
ton ~ H. lumber baron-, for M foe
would probably have any Effect on
them. would break no the combination
or trIat and bring down the prIce Of
lumber 10 what il j. worth
IL mus, be RENE mbered, however
that the price OF lumber will never
again be anything like a. low DE IN
former yesrs. for the stock OF standing
timber IN the United States has been
So depleted that What remains will
naturally he sold for much higher
pr'"e than formerly.
y - singular that every Cnncres-
.ilrs' district bur one adjacent to the
Comedian line, where The voters would
especially benefit los competing ium-
her, j. represented by a Republican,
who all refuse 10 revise the tarh. ~
even allow the subject TO be consid-
cred AID n the NEXT Congress the
same political al gnnent prevails with
two exceptions. How csn thu settlers
of South Dakota snd other prairie
States expect 20 be relieved from the
exactions OF the lumber trust II they
continue to elect Republicans TO rep
resent them who sre pledged TO con-
time the Republican tariff policy that
protects the trusts?
IL will take twp years, IL not more,
for the Department OF Commerce and
Labor to investigate and report on the
lumber trust, and then, 10 the Depart
ment OF Justice thinks it can make =
case against the lumber baroDs. there
will be long drswn out legal fight.
and during all that time the people
will still be sude ring from the pro-
hibitive prices the lumber trust j.
charging. In a week Congress could
pass a bill placing lumber on the free
list, and thus give, 81 least, partial re.
lief. Every Thousand feet OF lumber
i'm ported from CaDsdA. or elsewhsrr.
would relieve the lumber market Of
part 81 the strain the Lumber trust NV |
imposes on 10. The trust. rather than
seeing It's competitors underse Hing IL.
would naturally reduce its prices -
meet The ompetItion
But Senator Rittredge, like som
other Republican Congressmeh that
want certain products relieved from
thu tarlfi tar, are unwilling g help
the Democrats force general revl--
ion o. the tariff, which would give re.
lief from the present tarih hirh !
pri-es. They believe in the Republican !
policy OF protecting The trus's, bat |
cry out about Some particular trust, 80
A. to appear TO their constituents TO
favor tariff revision.
Bu' me tarif cannot be revised IN
that way. fDr the trusts hang together
for pr1t,c.i0u, and the ony way 10,
rou, them Is % unhor-- sll ,hr trus'
baron. thar are nnduly protected 40
fhe .ame time. and that Will not b.
po,.ibl- until she voter. dei5at more
81 the stand pat:ers thai represent