Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-25
BURKETT FOR
FREE LUMBER
Senator from Nebraska Makes Ex.
tended Argument for Removal
of All Duty.
TAX Is NOT PROT TIVE
He Says It's Removal WoE ect
Nothing But Stumpag
DoLLrYER's ACTION SURF r.
Iowa Senator Comes Out in Favor z,
Tariff on Lumber, \
MCUMBER AMENDMENT LOST
Proposal 10 Put Lumber on Free List
and Another TO Place Duty at
so Cents Thousand
Voted Down.
He Says It's Removal WoE =,
Nothing But Stumpag r
'oLL1yER's ACTION SURF
Iowa Senator Comes Out in Favor
Tariff on Lumber.
AMENDMENT LOST
fFrom a staff Correspondent.l

F'rom a staff Correspondent.l
WASHINGTON, May A.-Cspecial Tele-
gram )--senetor Burkett today delivered a
speech in favor of free lumber which
called out spirited colloquies from Senators
Borah, Nelson and Elklns.
He said the republican party had made
the free list. He mentioned a number of
articles that are on the free list, such as
binding twine, fence posts and a variety
of articles and that they were put there
because congress at some time believed 1t
was for the best interests Of the greater
number rather than to protect a factory
or two here and there which might be in
terestcd IN manufacturing that particular
article. Continuing, Senator Burkett said:
"In my opinion If Is Of more Importance
to the rcorle II will build up and sustain
more industries II they have lumber
the free list. I am one of those who
bclieve that by putting lumber the free
list IL will reduce the price to consumers
in this country; and II 1t does not, am
here to ask the question which | asked
the senator from Washington several days
ago Why are the people representing
these states wherein lumber is located so
much concerned about the proposition TO re-
duce tho tariff?'"
Senator Burkett said that II was too late
In the debate to undertake any very ex-
haustive discussion of the lumber uues-
ton; that had he spoken earlier he should
have gone more into detail upon the ad-
Visibility cf putting humber on the free
list lie said he was going to speak upon
some phases of the question that had been
suggested by remarks Of senator's who
had spoken today. He thought that In
making the tariff bill in 1909 II ought to
be brought down to date. He reminded
the senate that when he asked a question
the other day with reference to a certain
schedule he had been answered that II
was in the Dingley act.
But" said Senator Burkett that is not
answer enough. We ought to consider
conditions as they exist today" He said
that logs were on Inc free list now but
that was not Of any practical benefit TO
the people for the reason that while logs
could formerly be floated down. rivers.
forests were cleared OFF far enough back
now to make that sort OF transportation
impossible, and hence we have to deal
now with manufactured lumber.
why Lumber Is Dressed.
1--WE have gotten beyond rough lumber
now he said And reducing the rate on
rough lumber is not sufficient for It is
impossible to buy a stick of rough lumber
any more in Nebraska. The lumber men
have learned that It is more profitable
to dress lumber on one or more sides
than to leave it in rough. on account OF
freight they can save"
He stated that in his opinion IT was a
humbug TO place dfferential of S1.5O on
dressed lumber over and above rough
lumber when lumber was dressed for
benefit of the lumber manufacturer him
self
1t was a travesty on entire proposition.
he sail
reduce tariff on any sort OF lumber 1t
should be reduced ON kind of lumber that
is being consumed in this country.
He called attention to the two bugaboos
that the senator from Washington had
raised against free lumber. viz that vast
amount of cheap lumber would go Ia
waste, ana also that United States could
not compete with oriental labor of Canada
He said, however that evidence dispute !
the contention. For we are sending
lumber now to every country in the
World.
The senator insisted that the protective
ariif policy should only reach things that
men produced. That in his opinion II
VAS never intended to protect other thar
productions of man.
But" he said God made trees and
Stumpage, and because a few men have
s0ralled them II is part of the protective
policy to protect them in their selfish,
pess.
WOuId Anect StumpaEe Only.
He denied strongly that it would stoI
lumber mills of this country or drive any.
body out of employment He said Il might
reduce the price of stumpage, which haC
raised abnormally within the last few
years. but he was certain that stumpag,
owners would rather sell at reduced price
as they would have TO when they cam,
into competition with stumpage OF Canada
For the next three days the senate will
listen TO speeches on the lumber schedule
Senator Aldrichs plan being to take a vot,
on the lumber paragraphs on Wednesda!
and continue voting until the schedule Il
completed. A close canvass of the senate
shows that but twenty senators will vot
in favor Of free lumber.
While II is expected that the duty OF
rough lumber will be increased 30 cents ,
thousand over the house bill the hous
voting tariff of 81 thousand on unfin
ished lumber, It seems safe TO predic
that Senator Aldrich and the finance com
mittee will report an amendment to m
house lumber schedule fixing the tariff
on finished lumber at 50 cents a thousan,
more than rough lumber. which will be
decided reduction from the house bill. TIL
prairie states are much more interested &
the finished product, that is to say, f.
lumber which is planed, tongued an
grooved, than In the rough state. an
therefore any concession made on this par
agraph will inure 10 the benefit OF con
sumers In the sections named.
MeCumber Amendment Defeated.
No single piece of lumber was ever USE
more effectually as a seesaw by childre
than was the great lumber industry toda
by the United States senate. The lumbe
schedule OF the tariff bill was under cor
siderati0n almost the entire day with Ser
ators Root. Hepburn. Borah and Dollive
contending on the one hand for a proteC