The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-07
sender.


 posed by the German Government up- on exports of potash which works to lnvalfdate contracts involving about 27,OO0O00 entered into between Amer ican firms and German miners. The State Department has received
 urgent appeals from Agricultural so
 cieties: every breed of politician; the fertilizer manufacturers and interest ed mercantile firms, to intervene for
 the protection of American consumers.
 When it is considered that about D. 100000 farmers in this country are
 interested directly as consumers of
 potash and that the United States is practically dependent upon Germany
 for its supply, buying over one-half or the Empires total production, it
 is realized that the German Reich stag. in imposing an export tax, up- on this commodity which makes it
 impossible for American firms to handle it under the present contract price, has cut directly into the well fare of the American farmer.
 The farmer has taken quick notice of this State of affairs with the re- suit that every diplomatic pressure is being brought to bear by the State Department to effect an amicable set tlement of the difficulty. Ambassador Hill aided by Representative of the Bureau of Trade Relations, H. H. Da- wis, is directly in touch with the Ger man foreign office. If Germany fails to accede to the demand of the Amer ican diplomats, it is highly probable that the maximum tariff will be inn posed upon every German importation into this country in retaliation for the action.
 The export tax upon potash which was passed by the German Reichstag on May 10 last increases the price of potash in this country about sev- enty per cent. This tax was imposed after American buyers, taking ad vantage of a peculiar situation in the German market had entered into con- tracts for vast quantities of potash at very favorable price.
 For several yeaS the production and sale of potash in Germany was con- trolled by a syndicate which prac- tically dictated the output and con- syndicate expired in June 1909. Eric tion between the heads of the vari- ous subsidiary firms of the syndicate made 1t impossible for them to agree upon terms for a establishment of the syndicate. This open competition between the companies naturally forced potash down to a very low figure. Forseeing that future agree ment might again place them at the mercy of the German syndicate, American buyers made large con- tracts with the several companies. A1OSC OI tQeSc COnIrdcLS were TOT TWO years with the privilege of renewal for five years at the expiration of that time.
 Just exactly what the American buyers anticipated did happen. The German producers snnothered their differences and the old syndicate was re-established. American Manufac- turers found themselves on top with longtime contracts to protect them.
 The syndicate interests then turn ed their attention to squrmtng out of the American contracts. The law failed and they turned to the Reich stag. Several bills to force up the price and limit the production of pot ash were introduced each one aiming at the American Contracts.
 Finally in June 1909 bill was pass ed imposing the heavy export tax. The American manufacturers had al- l ready made contracts for the sale of their products at prices based upon the figures of their German contracts. 1
 Washington, Nov. Large applica- | tions for burnt timber are being re- | ceived at the Forest Service offices | here and requests from lumbermen | in regard to good logging chances are being received daily. In northern | Idaho. and western Montana, the For l est Service Is refusing to make sales | of green timber. except where such ! action will work hardships on the mill | men. This course is being taken on | the theory that every stick of fire killed timber utilized means a stick | of green timber for future use.
 The Forest Service Is now announce | ing the largest sale of fire-damaged l stock on record: The opportunities | offered by the service to the lumber- men include practically all kinds of | logging chance-from operations in- volving large capital which can han dle a hundred million feet Or more down to the small saw mill men on the tie-makers who desire a hundred | thousand feet or less. The pulp men are also given bargain prices.
 AS a rule the stumpage Is being set l at about one-half the rate that would 1 be asked for the timber if alive. Other fre-sale timber is being put on the | market at prices which the Govern offered again.
 The logging of the timber is be- lieved to be practicable in most in- stances although the Forest Service officers realize that some of the stock will remain unsold because it is in- 
 It is estimated by Supervisor Weigle that there is approximately 300 mill, lion feet of accessible timber on the St. Joe watershed. Montana. Weigle declares that 60 per cent of this tin- Der is excellent Western white pine. The remainder is mixture of spruce, Iarch, red fur, hemlock and cedar. The timber lies on five logging units, four of which contain more than 100 million feet. Practically all of this timber can be logged profitable, al- though there will be some expense l involved in constructing roads and streams for driving" The average "drive" for the St. Joe tim- l Der will be less than 12 miles to the railroads.
 There are numerous other bodies of ire-killed timber scattered throughout he region swept by the forest fires.