Manchester Democrat., 1911-04-19
SPECIAL WASHINGTON coRREs-
PONDENcE.
BY Clyde H. Tavenner.

PoNDENcE.
BY Clyde H. Tavenner.
The name of Edward Hines, mill
ionaire Chicago lumberman. is
about to be thrown upon the screen
for close public scrutiny.
Present indications are that two
very important investigations-one by
the senate into the election of Sena-
tor Lorimer of Illinois and the other
by federal grand jury into the
lumber trust-will both involve the
personality of Edward Hines.
Edward Hines may not be aware of
it, but there is a strong tip afloat
here in Washington to the effect
that federal grand jury inyestiga-
tion of his lumber trust will be be.
gun within the next two or three
weeks. Every effort has been exert
ed by the department of JUSTICE to
keep the plans of the government se-
cret. Enough has been learned from
other sources, however, to afford
Substantial basis for the assertion
that the evidence already collected
is deemed sufficient for presentation
to grand jury with view to Grim.
inal proceedings against the corpor-
ations and individuals who compose
the combinations which are generally
designated as the lumber trust.
Edward Hines will undoubtedly be
Summoned as an important witness
In both the lumber trust and Lorimer
investigations, because he has been
4 active in looking after both.
Mr.. Hines Is an arch-enemy oi
Canadian reciprocity. He recently
appeared before the ways and means
committee cf the house and the fl
nance committee of the senate In op
position to reciprocity, because Of tn.
damage, he insisted, would be done t
lumber interests.
Prior to that he had called upol
q the president to protest against tn
notoriety which was being given tn
lumber combinations by the invest
cation into their affairs made b
the commissioner of corporations. Nj
= Hines, it is reported. urged tn
L president to make public all the ii
" formation obtained by the commi
* sioner of corporations, asserting ths
1t could not show the existence {
lumber trust, because none existe,
= Soon after this the bureau Of co
A. porations published a bulletin upo
10 private ownership of timber land
10 which, SO far from dispelling IL
suspicion that there is lumb,
= trust, presented information whit
Sc clearly indicated the existence
to such combination.
le The prospective investigation
is the trust has no relation whatev
at to the LOrimer case, yet 1t is all
}, obvious that each has a bearing u
on the other. Hines efforts to ele
ae Lorimer were first enlisted whe
te according to his own testimony,
nd was urged by Senators Aldrich al
at Penrose to do what he could
break the deadlock in the Illine
Legislature, in order that anoth
he vote might be obtained for the Al
he rich tariff bill and the high rat
-. On lumber which Hines demanded I
the lumber interests.
Clarence s. Funk, general super
- .endent of the International Harry,
ne ter company. testified before CO.
or mittee of the Illinois legislature tn
It. Hines approached him with t
NJ statement that 1--WE put Lorimer q
Z. er, but 1t cost us 100000 to do II
- Funk declared Hines was endeavt
ne ing to collect the 100000 from co
ly Germs which would be benifitted
Lorimer's election. This is all q
MED by Hines.
The great timber supply of Il
A. country, which but short time q
belonged to the government, is nc
owned by a few corporations and
as viduals, and the public has receiv
,,e little, if any benefit, from the trar
fer. But the value of the holdin
= to their present owners is estimat
at Sc, ,OOO, 100000.
M This would not be so bad
d: there had been any considerable d
U, tribution of this enormous wealt
But according to the commission
q IF corporations less than 1000 owne
hold more than Ss.OOO,OOO acres
nc timber land, an average of 44,0
II. acres each. or " square miles.
.hese 1000 owners many Of the
hold comparatively small areas.
few hold the great bulk of the pro
=, erty.
The three largest owners are Il
Southern Pacific railroad, the NJ
hern Pacific and the Weyerheuse
sb Timber company. The latter, viii
is generally regarded as the domino
ing influence in the lumberv comb
eb alton and has been represented
Edward Hines, owns 1,945,00O acr
Of Of timber land in the northwest al
M controls vast additional acrea
Trough family connections and bu
ness associates.
rd The policy of these great holde
of timber supply until the countr,
resources elsewhere are SO depict
that they can sell for most al
'rice they wish to charge.
J. was in promotion of th
icheme that Edward Hines, as Il
Sc representative of the combined til
ii. Der and lumber interests, demand
tie he maintenance of the high tar
duties upon lumber and was told,
10 says, by Senators Aldrich and Pr