The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
FARMERS AND LUMBER.
Plea of Middle West for Removal Of
the Duty.


From the Northwestern Agricllturlst-
The tariff on lumber ranges from s. TO
$50 per thousand and is largely prohibi-
tive
The only demand that can IN any de-
gree be called popular that comes up TO
Congress for the retention OF the present
tariff on lumber comes from the Pacific
CoasJ. especially the States OF Washing
ton and oregon. and from certain South
ern States. which always vote for free
trade. and are now clamoring for the
retention OF an indefensible protective
duty on lumber. The great bulk Of the
population from which our present gov
ernment derives its power. the people or
the great central valley. the agricultural
people and those directly and indirectly
dependent on agriculture. and the consum-
ms millions OF the East are almost a unit
In ciamoring for the repeal OF the tarin
on lumber
Even in the Pacific Coast States the
farming classes demand a repeal o. the
duty on lumber. In the Middle West
States even the retail lumbermen demand
free trade in lumber
The country has been promised tarif re-
vision. The people have waited expect
antly for IL. and Congress is about 20 as
semble IN special session. presumably TO
give US genuine tariff revision. Through
out the agricultural West the test OF the
genuineness Of this revision viii largely
be taken TO be the action IN regard 20 the
lumber tariff. Our people feel that II the
tariff cannot be taken of lumber. Il can
not be taken OF anything; that II the
lumber Industry needs protection. every
thing needs protection, and that All this
talk about tariff revision is pure bun
cornbe.
Our forests are dwindling, and unless
We choose 20 speak IN defiance OF all
available statistics. they are almost on the
verge OF exhaustion on the whole. the
price OF lumber scars ever higher and
higher. and the value or timber holdings
advances with leaps and bounds. Here
IN Minnesota We have seen standing tim
her advance IN value from 81 10 Sl2 per
thousand inside OF ten years. Everywhere
there has been big advance in timber
values Yet. now the lumbermen come to
us and plead FOR a tariff largely because
their timber IS so much more valuable
lldu II USED 10 pc z or tn6L - 3uSL WaaI
they mean when they say stumpage costs
so much that they must have protection
against the cheap lumber OF Canada. This
is simply demand for protection on an
''unearned increment Cost Of production
and wages are as high in Canada or
higher than here.
Here is the situation IN a nutshell The
price OF lumber and timber has increased
enormously within a few years In good
times our domestic mills cannot supply
the demand. The forests are almost gone.
Every year the demand on them Increases.
soon they viii be wiped out Canada
has vast forest reserves on which we can
draw both 20 the relief OF our forests and
10 the benefit OF our consumers. But our
lumbermen. after all their years Of pros
perity, fattened on the richest forests the
world has ever known. enjoying the great
est home market that any industry ever
had, competing with Canada and all other
timber countries In the markets OF the
world (even those OF Canada iJself). to the
extent OF Sl25000,000 a year. now have the
nerve to ask Congress 10 retain an OBJ
solete duty.