Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-01
Maine and Free Canadian Lumber.


1t would seem as if this plea for Can
ada must have been written with
very scant appreciation Of what the
lumber business. and its allied indus
tries. the wood pulp and paper huSi-
ness. mean to Maine. 1t also over
looks the important fact that our in
dustries are 81 interviewer and 80 in
| terdependent that We cannot deal
death blow to airy one of orr great
material interests without seriously
affecting all Of them.
The foremost interest Of Maine is
| and doubtless always will be. agricul-
| ture. The last census gives the value
Of farm products in this state al So
| ll3. 496. The second largest industry in
| our state is the allied lumber, wood
pulp and paper industry whose COM
bined product for the year 1900 amount
ed to s2e.7l2.G76 These allied indus
tries represented at that time SI3
| manufacturing establishments - S3o
| manufacturing lumber and 30 manu-
featuring wood pulp and paper.
These Industries which have since
| been largely increased through the OK
| tension of our railroad mileage-at that
time REPRESENTED an aggregate in
vestment of $32 ,473,160. They employed
| II 685 men. and had annual pavroll5 az
| gregating si,795.976. In addition I"
| the regular payroIls they hal 'Hi"-
| ceIIancous expenses, including the Ser
vices Of machinists. painters, carpen-
tnrr. roofers masons, and mon Of 9TH
or trades. which aggregated for the
| year 81, 90S, O31. making a grand total
FOR the year Of $G704O13 Now it must
DO remembered that this large army Of
workers and this large outlay repre-
4ents only the men employed and thn
money expended ut the mills. Back
81 them vas an even larger amy of
men engaged in getting out tli.' Iro-
ducts of the forest ana driving them
down the streams and rivers. Tn"
census gives us no figure" rs {"
IN" exact number of such mon.
luI practical lumbermen SAY that
II 900 is Il very conservative estimate
Along with these men 50 a large num-
her of teams. In addition to wage;
these men, and the horses they work,
are all fed ut the expense Of the en-
r!"ycr. This makes large and
Muinn farms throughout the lumber
CtionS. While the time Of employ
ment is shorter for woodsmen than for
min men this is offset by the extra
tx.cnsc Of feeding them and their
teams. 1t is fair to estimate therefore
that their wages and maintenance
would amount to at least $i,500.00 an
nually. Here then we have employed
in tie lumber. wood pulp and paper
business ar army Of more than $4,000
men with wages agSregating more than
100000, 3ot Now we are very strong
II of the opinion that this immense
sum of money put in circulation in
Maine is a very vital factor in the pros
perity of our State. We should very
much rather see this money paid t.
our own State, than to see it expended
in Canada. for Canada labor, to become
a part Of Canadian prosperity. The
men employed directly and indirectly
in the lumber. pulp and paper indus
tries are to be found in every part OF
Maine. Several hundred of them are
Subscribers to the Journal Doubtless
some Of them are subscribers to the
Lewiston sun. We should regret very
much to sec thcm obliged to go to Can
ada for cmplnymcnt Indeed we should
regard the privilege of buying our lum-
Der triEe cheaper from Canada, aS q
result Of the lower wages paid across
the lin" and having It come into the
American market free ~ very made
| uuatc rcCompensc for their loss
We should look upon it as z
mighty poor swap. We should vastly
rather pay present prices for what lit
tie lumber. pulp and paper we use
and keep our army Of Maine men en-
| ploycd in these allied interests, and
the more than ton million dollars a
year that they earn at home. The
| fact must never lie lost sight Of that
any law which admits the products OF
Canada free to the state Of Maine,
will also give them free access to the
markets of the nation. and that free
lCanadian lumber will also mean FIRE"
Canadian pulp. paper. live stock. and
agricultural products. When once the
door to this destructive competition IS
opened. no lines will be drawn. and the
interests Of the state of Maine will he
given scant consideration.
|