New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-04-07
DAVIS RAPS LUMBER TRUST
st. Peter Man Makes Speech At
lacking Present Tariff Law.
Scores Men Who Have Denuded
North Star State for Private
Gain.

In a speech on the tariff, delivered
in the lower house of congress Friday
night, Representative Davis of St.
Peter denounced the lumber million
aires of his state as we'll as the
methods by which the Northwest has
been denuded of it's tremendous timber
resources for private gain.
SIN the fifty years that I have been
a resident of Minnesota said Mr..
Davis, 81 have seen one of the grand
est forests of pine and other valuable
woods disappear. I have seen that
forest squandered recklessly, seen it
purchased at price that was almost
for the asking and then the timber
demolished and nothing left in its
place. The only valuable timber of
= any magnitude now left is in the ex-
IRENE Northwestern states, save and
except some in the more Southern
states.
''Eight years ago Minneapolis was
the lumber center Of this continent and
today about the only thing left from
that immense forest is a large number
of multi-millionaires. .
Representative Lindberg interrupted
Mr.. Davis to tell him that certain
lumber company was organized in
1884 without capital, that it now had
assets valued at SIS, 100000 and that
through subsidiary concerns it owns
100000, 900 feet of the finest white and
Norway pine in the state of Minnesota
and in the province of Ontario.
A'The gentleman appears to know
something about the lumber business, J"
said Mr.. Lindberg. "Can he explain
such marvellous GROWTH"
Mr.. Davis replied: II would say if
he had lived. there as long as I have,
he would know that the little incident
he now mentions is small one when
compared with some of the other men
who have been engaged in the lumber
business in Minnesota. At least this
9ittle S., O00,0 capital is a bagatelle
compared with some others that I
know.
81 will not call their names, but we
would consider that comparatively
poor man in Minnesota, especially if
he had been engaged in the lumber
business" :.
In an interview Mr.. Davis stated
that he was opposed to undue haste in
tanning the Payne tariff bill through
the house, believing that business in
terests can best stand the strain of a
few weeks, rather than to suffer for
years from an unbalanced and ill-ad-
iusted tariff law. He will oppose any
move by the Cannon organization to
cut Off discussion of the proposed leg
islatiOn.
Regarding the lumber schedule he
sal "The uniform reduction of 81 per
thousand upon all grades of lumber,
in my judgment, will not produce the
desired results. The Dingley bill
fixes rates from 81 to 81 per thosuand,
the smaller rate being upon unfinished,
rough lumber or board. About 80 per
cent of lumber consumption is of the
planed or finished product. While
the duty on rough lumber is reduced
from So to ST. per thousand, the duty
on finished lumber is left so high as
to be almost prohibitive. The con-
sumer will remain entirely dependent
on domestic supplies. A uniform
tariff of 81 per thousand upon all
grades would be much preferable tc
THE present proposed duties. 1t woulc
oe better still if all grades of lumber
were placed on the free list"
The Johnson-F harrington bill pro
viding for an appropriation Of S25, 00(
for the diking of Big Stone lake
passed the senate yesterday.
It cost Kansas City 1,772.36 t.
listen to Gypsy Smith. 1.-THE Pioneer
Press can have its way, it will cos
st. Paul even more.
Several old scores were settled yes
terday, but it remains to be seen wha
4ha citv petS ont Of it,