The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-23

their constituents represented here
that the fullest possible measures for
our great river Improvements be taken
by congress at the present session.
4 DR.. Pietrzycki of Dayton, responded
to the toast. 1.-The Public Good" In
addition to several very important
suggestions along the lines of propos-
ed state and national legislation in
reference to the curbing of corpora
lions. he emphasized the fact that it
would certainly rebound to the public
good if the commercial clubs of the
Inland Empire continue to work to-
eether in harmony in the future as
were at present.
Will M. Peterson, in talk on
Cute" called the attention of the
gathering to the saving that could be
effected to the people of Washington
and Oregon if the tariff was removed
from lutte and jute products. He
stated that the present tariff amount
ed to about two cents per grain sack.
At the close of his address he intro
duced the following resolution, which
| he stated had been fathered by
Jeremiah Stone, a farmer living near
! Athena:
| Whereas. Wheat growing is at the
present time and for many years to
1 come must be classed among the lead
ing industries of the Pacific coast
states; and
Whereas, The peculiar market con-
| ditions which neceSsitate the eXpOrta-
ton of surplus grain to European
markets make it necessary to use jute
sacks for the handling of said grain
upon shipboard: and
| Whereas, There are probably used
annually in the state of Washington
about fourteen millions thereof, and in
the state of Oregon between eight
and ten millions thereof, and in the
| state of California about twenty-five
| millions thereof, and in the state OF
Idaho about three millions thereof;
| and
Whereas. 1t is impracticable under
existing conditions to snip grain In
bulk. and, therefore, said sacks are
now and will be for many years an alb
solute necessity; and
Whereas. In addition to the fore
going, a vast number of jute bags are
used annually by the great wool grow
ing interests of the Pacific coast, and
of jute cloth by the hop growers
thereof; and
| Whereas, The price of jute and jute
production seems continually increas-
ing. and is throwing an enormous and
unnecessary burden upon the three
great industries noted, to-wit: wheat
growing, wool growing and hop grow
ing; and
Whereas. There is at this time ar
import duty upon such bags of seven
eighths of a cent a pound, plus Is
per cent ad valorem on the foreign
value, which amounts at present
prices to about two cents per bag:
and
Whereas, That burden is wholely
borne by the farmers. flOckmasters
and hop growers and is in no particu-
lar distributed among the people in
accordance with the accepted princi-
pie of protective tariff; and
Whereas, The removal of such duty
would aid and encourage the manu-
facture of jute fabrics in state peni-
tentiaries; and
Whereas, This duty seems to be
: solely for the benefit of few Pa
cif1c coast bag manufacturers whose
industry is so small that it does not
} in any respect affect the market, and
, who altogether probably do not man.
! ufacture more than two million bags
annually, the rest being imported df-
rect from Calcutta, India; and
Whereas, There is now and has been
for years no material increase in the
output of American factories of bags
of this character; and
Whereas, This class of production
does not come within Hhe object and
purpose of the American idea of pro-
lection;
Therefore, be it resolved, that it is
the duty of the several legislatures
of the Pacific coast states to memoir
. ialize congress. asking that jute, jute
bags, jute cloth and all material en-
/ tering into the manufacture Of bags to
be used in handling grain, wool and
hops be placed upon the free list.
, and that it is the sense Of this con-
, vention that the legislatures now in
session in Washington, Idaho, Oregon
and California be requested to take
this matter under consideration forth
with in order that congress may act
upon the matter during the present
session thereof; and further, that a
copy of these resolutions be sent to
the various commercial bodies and
farmers organizations throughout the
four states above referred to, and to
the governors and presiding officers
of each branch of the legislatures
, thereof.
GIVES ADVICE ON DANCING.