The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-04-21
AS Canadians Would Raise
the Price 10 the United
States Consumers.

finance committee Of the Senate in
connection with the lumber schedule
of the tariff bill. Mr.. Hines called
attention to the fact that the most
insistent demand for reduction in
the lumber duty comes from the
great agricultural states OF the Mid
die West, which would not get a
stick of Canadian timber cheaper
than they do now If the duty were
removed. The reason, he explained,
is that 1t would be practically Inn
possible to put lumber through the
Great Lakes into the wholesale
markets of Buffalo. Cleveland, De-
troit and Chicago, rehandle it, add
the wholesalers profit. then reship
1t by rail to territory more than
one hundred miles from these CEN
tiers, and sell it in competition with
the yellow pine from the southern
states.
Mr.. Hines contended that the Ca
madam lumberman would not be dis
posed to yield anything to the Amer
lean consumer by reason OF the adj
vantage he would gain in a reduction
of the lumber duty This, he said,
had been demonstrated thoroughly
in many contracts recently made for
the sale of Canadian lumber for
shipment to this country, in which
la clause had been inserted to the eff
feet that If any part Of the tariff is
taken off, the seller, ''in considera-
tion OF selling his lumber at GER
tain agreed price is to receive one
half of whatever amount the duty
may be lowered" 1t was only rea-
sonable to presume, he declared,
that the Canadian operator, being
possessed of the usual amount Of
business shrewdness and knowing
the advantage he has already, would
absorb from one-half to two-thirds
OF whatever is taken off the duty, as
an additional profit for himself. In
view of this, he asserted that there
was no guarantee. in fact. no indica-
ton to the American consumer, that
Canada will lower the price Of her
lumber If the duty is decreased.
Canada, said Hines, having increased
her imports 800 per cent. during
the last eight years and her prices
100 per cent, is it not safe to pre-
sumo that by taking off the duty her
imports would increase. and at the
same time her prices need not nee
essarily be any less than slight re-
duction under the prices made by
the American manufacturer, that is,
simply enough to make it an in
ducement for the American whole
saler or importer to buy his lum-
Der in Canada rather than at home.
Under such conditions the consumer
of lumber would derive no benefit
whatever by reason of the reduction
in duty. The entire advantage
would be swallowed by the Canadian
Zimmerman and the American i'm
porter and wholesaler. But this in
creased importation would work a
great loss to the American lumber
manufacturer and lumber laborer
Not only to them would the loss
come but to the American farmer
whose great customer the lumber.
man is and also to the American
railroads which transport American
lumber, whereas Canadian lumber is
transported by the water route
/ Mr.. Hines showed that on tho
other hand. Canada makes no or.
fer to reciprooate for the advantage
which she would gain by reason q,
reduction Of duty upon her Inn
Der. She has given no indication =,
an intention to repeal her present
embargo in not allowing logs or raw
material to be imported into this
country, but compels the mannf,c.
ture of her own timber In her own
country.
Mr.. Hines also argued that there
was another side to the question
other than the fact that the Amer;-
can consumer would not be benefit
ed by a reduction of the dutv. and
that was that the removal Womb be
a distinct loss to he United states
treasury. He showed that In 1eo7
the revenue from the lumber tariY
was more than $4,000. 900. which IL
large item especially in view of H.
creasing expenses OF the government,
and the fact that the present tarifs
bill will not provide an ADEQUATE raw
lenue to meet them. The fact tbst
two millions were paid into The
treasury In one year as dutv m
lumber, he said, showed that The
Dingley rate was not prohibitorv II
was merely protective. No other
lar+icles nm which 4ha t..,Av