The Washington herald., 1909-03-27
ROWLAND ATTACKS
PINCHOT'S RECORD
OhiOan Says Chief Forester
Advised Lumber Duty.
FEARS FOREST DESTRUCTION
Retention of Duty VIII Cause Ameri-
can Forests to Disappear First, He
Declares in the HOuse-QuesfiOn of
Existence of "A Lumber Trust Is
Cause of Dispute Among Members.

Representative Rowland. OF Ohio. made
a direct and caustic attack on Clifford
Pinchot, the Chief Forester Of the gov
eminent. in discussing yesterday the Ium-
Der provision of the new tariff bin in the
House yesterday.
Mr. Rowland declared that after spend
ing years in educating the lumber inter
ests Of the country in methods OF con-
servati0n, Mr.. Pinchot had written a let
ter advising the retention of the present
duty on Lumber. Mr. Rowland favored
free lumber He said the Ways and
Means Committee took step IN the right
direction in reducing the tariff on lum-
Der. but he added. the retention Of any
duty VIII hasten the destruction of the
American forests.
1T Is simply a question as to which
shall disappear first the American or the
Canadian forests, said Mr.. Rowland.
"and ] favor the Disappearance Of the
Canadian forests first II We take OF the
duty on lumber. Il will bring about this
result; II We leave II as i is. IL viii mean
the early destruction OF our forests.
Discusses Schedules.
Representative Humphrey. or Washing
ton. was the first member TO take the
floor lie discussed the lumber and
single schedules. addressing himself IN
part TO the number OF Crientals employed
in the Industry In British Columbia.
The statement made by Chairman
PAYNE. OF the Committee on WAYS and
Means. that only per cent Of tie labor
in those industries was Oriental M.
Z a1rl4r~ -afI
Humphrey presented statistics showing
that about . per cent Of the employees
OF The shinsle mills OF British Columbia
ar Orieutsls. In Washington state. he
said very few Orientals are employed
White labor. he said, is more productive
than Oriental labor. He urged an in
crease IN the duty on shingles 70 protect
Washington shingles against those OF
British Columbia.
Mr. Fordney Of Michigan. said that
some Of the schedules OF the Payne bin
do not furnish sufficient protection Every
industry is better protected he said than
the lumber industry Tn reply 90 several
memhers. Mr.. Fordney said that the Fed
eIal government had spent the sum OF
$4,000 Tn investigating the lumber bus
mess. without discovering a lumber trust
. which fixes prices 20 the consumer.
Trust Existence Disputed.
Dir. Hardy. OF Texas. said that tie lum-
her trust had lis headquarters in ST
Louis. which fixed the prices of lumber
in Texas and the Southwest
AR. Fordney said De had been manufac-
turing lumber an his life and did not
know anything about the existence Of "A
lumber trust Clifford Pinchot. the gov
yernment forester. he added. had testified
before the WAYS and Means Committee
THAT he knew nothing or the existence OF
a lumber trust
Alr. Gronna. 81 North Dakota. inter
rupted to say that The price Of lumber I'm
mis- district was absolutely fixed by "A
Lumber association which had It's head
quarters IN Minneapolis. Mr.. Tawney.
OF Minnesota. declared that retail lum-
Der dealers trust existed In the North
west which parceled out the territory and
fixed prices 10 the consume.
The members OF this House who de-
clare that lumber trust exists. Mr.
Fordney declared. ought 20 furnish proof
of their statements.
There IS no such thing as a lumber
trust II may be that lumber retailers in
certain sections form combinations TO fix
I
manufacturers exists.
Reduction l. Opposed.
THE reduction OF the duties on ium-
her" he added would not conserve thu
forests. Lumber manufacturers must have
q sufficient measure Of protection in or
der TO maintain the proper standard of
living among their laborers Canada had
Disseminated against the United States
ia placing restrictions on lumber import
ed into the United States. and this coun-
try ought to strike back
AR Pou of North Carolina. who fol-
lowed NT. Fordney. predicted that the
members OF The House viii not have an
opportunity 10 offer amendments 20 the
Payne BILL The measure. he ADDED. was
framed in the interest of the trusts.
Concluding the days debate. Mr.. Ma
con- Of Arkansas. declared that the aver
age rates under the Payne bin would be
higher than the average rates under the
Dingley law. because he thought that
the maximum tariff would be more often
used than the minimum The minimum
feature OF the Payne bin. he said. is
delusion and a snare.