The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-31
Lsttsrs to Tks Editor
VI. r..s. Il. sa,. { 1T H.sA r...'

Who FoOtD tho Unlo { VI H1Eh TaAes. bers ot the Legislature. who favor. the raise in tax valuation. who this bur den will fall upon most heavily. We who hs the r.n n: taxes are doubled. Every man is en- titled t0 fatr return upon his invest ment. This tax is reckoned into his will have to raise their rents to meet this extra expense. The poor man pays the extra tax. take the merchant. whose tax is doubled on him He Is entitled to fair return on his invest ment. He puts an extra price on his goods. wares and merchandise. to cover this extra expsnse. Who pays this ex- wars. % Dsor TaG Tske 0aSs sSs mill man. He is also entitled to fair return on his investment. He will have to raise his prices on lumber, etc. pays this extra tax ?The poor men who build humble homes for themselves. Double the tax on fertilizer factories They will put 25 of 50 per cent extra extra burden. Who pays it.? The man who weilds the hoe and the plow share. pays 1t. So you can apply this unfortunate state of s<fairs to every the common people will be the ones who will have to bear the greater part of this burden of heavy taxation. The taxation. taxa % His 1a humble % home e and farm is all that he has, and Is open to public inspection and they today are paving far in excess of their proportion of up this tax rate and let the burden In the. end fall upon the same men who are now bearing greatly in excess their part of burden of taxation will people. Would like to hear the views of others on this matter k. To Control the Lumber Market.
 Editor Advertisers
 Of late we have read a great deal and heard considerable talk on the sub- ject of the larger saw mills of the South closing down.
 This is a question in which not only a few individuals. who are engaged in the manufacture of lumber, are con-A cerned. but one of vital interest to all our people.
 The natural forests. with which our section abounds. is one of our most val uab1e assets, and, while I fear that what I can say on the subject will not add luster to it, yet l hope that 1t Will help to perform if only in the slightest degree. the service of keeping the ques- tion in mind, and know of no surer means of reaching most people
 
 columns of your paper.
 | want to take up as little of your space as possible and, therefore. will try to touch only upon a few features --those that present themselves most forcibly to my mind.
 We have heard so much recently about the labor question that 1t tires especially one that has come in direct contact with 1t. The wages of labor in the past few years has increased fifty to seventy five per cent. while its competency or willingness to do has, in my judgment--and that based on close observation-gone in the other direction by still greater percentage.
 Those in the ranks of labor, just few years past. who were looked upon and were good men" were. at the same time. capable of something better. It is a safe rule that the man who does we'll the task that is set before him will, with a little experience. do well the task. next in the scale of success full attainment and so these men have taken advantage of the opportunities with which the past eight or ten years have been laden and are now engaged in easier and more lucrative employ ment.
 Right here. for fear of being un- derstood to say that labor today Is | totally without any capable, indus trious, ambitious men, I want to em- phasize that I take no such stand, but I do contend that the percentage of such men to be found among the labor ing class Is very small.
 Now, we can readily see that labor Is costing us more today in a twotold sense; we are compelled to pay into its hand e-half to three-quarters more than We were paying. and we fail not only to receive as much in return as we were getting. but actually fair return for our money.
 We, of the saw mill brotherhood, would like to zee this condition inn proved. Primarily because Me do not like to spend our money and get in re-
 arn Gny for 9f aone s osS fully say that l. wish it were otherwise for. an added reason; sometimes. as l curiously watch some of my own "tri- most time with the least work. am not inclined to take pride in the fact that I am of the same lineage.
 into thorough discussion of the labor question of closing down our saw through the fact that 1t is-of its own question of closing down our saw mills.
 Now. the prices we are paying for stumpage are high This Is an ex, very few years. seventy-fve to one hundred per cent. however. l have no criticism for the man who gets all that he can for his property. Nevertheless it is hardship on us and. on the same principle that I do not condemn the man who gets the very highest figure that he can obtain. find no fault with my brother saw mill man. nor with my self. for seeking for means for our own protection.
 Of course. what I have had to say about labor-and I am speaking alto gether of white saw mill labor-and what have said about the high price of stumpage Is of little importance to any one other than those who are man ufacturing lumber, but right side by side with these two conditions comes another. and this other is one that not only touches the mill man in tender spot but effects the whole people as tured product is bringing.
 As l have said and as every one knows. our natural forests are one of our principal sources of wealth. These forests that at one time seemed to be almost inexhaustable are quickly dis appearing. Twenty years from today there will be very little timber left.
 are paying more for labor than 1t is giving us in return. we are paying more for stumpage than 1t is worth. passing it's value on the present prices that the manufactured products com cands, which are so low as to bring returns not sufficient to pay for more than our labor and our stumpage. That part hurts us-the mill men but the important idea is this: we are eXhausting with wanton waste and disre gard. a source of bounty, that God, in His goodness. has seen it to bestow upon us, and all of our people are the