The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-01-20
The Destructive Lumber Tariff.

The National Forest Conservation
league, with headquarters in Mime
apolis. is making vigorous efforts to
secure the repeal OF the tariff on
lumber, as one of the most effective
means Of putting an end to the whole
sale destruction of the forests.
1t Is pointed out that while this
tariff prevents the American consumer
from drawing freely upon other lum-
ber-producing countries Of the world,
and hence encourages the destruc-
ton Of our forests, the lumbermen Of
the United States find no difficulty in
sending their timber to Canada and
underselling the lumbermen Of that
country to such an extent that they
have practically destroyed the mark
cts Of their Canadian competitors.
The motto Of the National Forest
Conservation league is, "The first step
In forest conservation is to cease to
encourage forest destruction" and
this is the policy it Is pursuing in at
tempting to break down the abitrary
barriers Of an unnecessary protection,
which closes the ports Of America to
the lumber Of other countries while
we are so well Off that we can UNDER
sell our neighbors.
Senator Edwards, Of the Canadian
parliament. has taken an active in
terest In this work. and in a letter to
the league he recently said:
Recalling the promise I made to
you at Washington a few days ago,
herewith enclose copy OF the telegram
I sent Sir Wilfrid Laurier in June last
after large deputation Of lumbermen
had called upon him and our minister
of finance. begging for the imposition
of duty on Southern pine coming
from the United States. which was
then, and for the most Of the time
since, deluging Canadian markets,
produced and sold so cheaply that it
has been impossible for us to COM
pete. Hard, Of course for the mo-
ment on lumber producers, but a
great benefit to the buyers and users
Of lumber.
1.-THE ground I take Is that we will
win In the end. II you Americans are
foolish enough to exhaust your forests,
not only to supply your own wants,
but ours also, our timber will grow
meantime, which will result in great
ultimate profit to us.
Il am taking the liberty Of sending
you also paper which has a letter
In 1t hurriedly wrote over year ago
on the pulp question"
The following Is q copy of the tele-
gram Senator Edwards sent to Sir
Wilfrid Laurier:
Most sincerely and earnestly hope
you Will pay no regard to unjustified
demand made upon you for a duty on
Southern pine coming from the United
States. The demand arises in conse-
quence Of temporary stagnation in
our business. which will soon pass
away The imposition of the duty
would be most trifling. in so far as
mitigation OF the present dullness in
Canadian trade Is concerned, and
would be most unpopular excepting
with few avaracious lumber manufac-
turers. I sincerely beg you to allow
one Canadian industry to exist without
placing 1t in the despicable position
OF robbing the consumers Of its pro-
duct for Its benefit"
There can be no question as to the
wisdom of the motto of the league.
''The first step in forest conservation
is to cease to encourage forest de-
struction," and at a time when the
forests are at best being destroyed so
rapidly there Is no good reason why
we should subject our own forests to
wholesale destruction because a pro-
tectionist tariff shuts out the lumber
of other countries from American
markets and American consumers.