New-York tribune., 1909-03-12
AGAINST FREE LUMBER
Clifford PinchOt AdUOcdteS Free
Pulp and Lo7cer Ne5cs Paper Duty.
EFrom The Tribune Bureau. !

Washington March 11.-Gifford Pinchot, chief of
the United States Forest Service, has written let
ter 10 Chairman Payne of the Ways and Means
Committee in which he sets forth at length his
views regarding the tariff lumber and seeks TO
correct certain popular but erroneous impressions
Mr. Pinchot says that free lumber would not pro-
mote the conservation Of the forests, as is popu-
larly supposed; that It would not materially reduce
the price 10 the consumer; that ? per cent OF the
lumber supply of this country now comes from
Canada. and that with duty not more than
per cent could be expected from that source ana
that ultimately the Canadians will doubtless re-
ouire all their lumber for their use; that the
lumber men are right when they say that hsh
prices for lumber mean cleaner work. ana iiiat
lower prices would less Clean work anu
greater danger from fires that the increased use
of Canadian lumber would be offset by the greater
waste in American forests; and finally, that the
forestry bureau has refrained from recommending
the removal OF the duty on lumber ana shhsieS
pending the completion Of an investigation OF the
subject.
With regard TO wood pulp. Mr.. Pinchot says that
now seven-tenths OF the wood used for paper comes
from Canada. and he believes 1t highly important
that pulp and pulp wood should be admitted free
from the countries which impose no export duty.
and that there should be q material reduction OF
the duty on news paper coming from couSsrles
which impose export duty
Regarding the lumber tariff and conservation
Mr.. P1nchot says
stumpage prices are at present somewhat lover t,I
OF Canadian timber land is better adjusted 20 me
conditions under which timber must ~ be ,o99g Gt Ia and
manufacturing probably as great there as & heIs,
factors taken together. would be to increase the
value Of Canadian stumpage. and 10 some e1tehe L
Lmeg;can retailer There would remain little. II
any. benefit TO the ultimate consumer OF lumber IN
The fundamentai question issue in the m lumber Der
Tnand lumber rests mainly on the hope that
It offers way TO protect our forests & roros1 81 tb
tarif But l am unable TO how free lumber Will
foresty 4 There @ sa Is 4hE 4ha hey are kept at
work growing new crops OF timber as the oio are
II the remova! Of the tarr had any en- effect f,a1 on
work in the woods IT would be to dSPa%Ge % ihe bcb
must be either logged or left in the woods when
the the hs1so y 9crease the wood waste in this
country. The in logging is already enor-
fP0n Canada do not believe that the Increased
use Of Canadian wood unde5 d Se sSsn II it aid the
larger danger from fire and the greater dinleIi1fes
logging would probably more than Offset the gam gam
In other words. the drain upon our IorestS, "ou -
not be relieved by allowing Canadian lumber 10
come in free.
AS 10 the tariff wood pulp he says
nrearlv se,en-tenths Of the wood we use for paper
IS spruce and one-third Of the spruce pulp wood IS
imported from Canada. 1t is highly important that az
=
the past, and that Canada should impose no T eX7
mort duty upon pulp wood. In this respect the pup
and paper making industry is in different posi-
+ion from the great wood dusing industries OF
the United States The latter can be wholly sup
pIied from our own forests. while the former must
bae free access TO the Canadian spruce forests so
long as spruce IS the chief pulp wood therefore
Concur with the recommendations Of the Select
Committee on Pulp and Paper Investigations OF me
House OF representatives These were that ground
wood should be admitted free, provided that tit II
Comes from country which does not In any way
TTesfrict the exportation Of pulp wood or ground
wood and that there should be a reduction In the
ma raT
from country which does not in any way restrict
the expectation Of pulp wood wood pulp or printing
paper. ..,o - .ho .a-,rr 20 nro-
t.cf the forests the lumbermen have in substance
entered into an agreement with the people OF the
T-nifed states TO perpetuate their forests by wise
nse This tacit agreement is freely recognized by
T1snv OF the leaders among them. II the tarin IS
allowed 10 remain the lumbermen should De heia
70 their agreement and II they should fail 70 carry
II out the people 81 the United States should take
.be rnafter in hand and enforce such controI OF
iIIn,herIne as will protect the forests and the pup
lie The Iur1bermen must recognize that the forests
,rttcb thcy own are not simply pieces OF private
Droperty They are public trust the source lToiD
which most OF the nations future timber supply
must come.