The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-07-02
ouR GIFT TO CANADA.

The attention of those who imagine
labor derives no benefit from the
republican tariff policy and suffers
no injury from the Underwood demo-
cratic tariff is invited to the condi-
ton Of affairs in the shingle industry
OF Washington and British Columbia,
respectively. The situation is forcibly
stated in a report of a committee to
a meeting of Washington single man
ufacturers
In 1909, when the duty on shingles
was 80 cents per thousand, about $50
carloads of shingles were shipped from
British Columbia into the United States.
In 1910. 1911 and 1872, when the duty
was so cents per thousand. imports
were only about 200 carloads a year.
In the first four months of 1914, when
shingles entered duty free. imports were
l4S2 carloads, and in April alone were
| more than in the first four months OF
1913. Before the duty was removed
many British Columbia single mills
were either closed or running half time.
Now practically all are running full
time and many are running night and
day, and from 1875 to 40 new machines
have been installed.
British Columbia shingle manufactur-
| ers pay II 1-2 cents per thousand for
| Oriental and 10 cents for white sawyers
and 80 per cent of the sawyers are
Orentals. In Washington sawyers are
| paid IL to 10 cents per thousand. Brit
ish Columbia pays packers cents per
thousand and they nail their own bands
Washington pays 9 cents for packing
m nc or mailing
British Columbia pays laborers s16O to
$l75 per day and employs Orientals
Washington $2s5 to $3.50 per day.
Washington pays $4,000 for a section
of timber on which interest at per-
cent is $4,000 a year and pays taxes
averaging $500 a year on each section
British Columbia issuse timber licenses
| requiring a yearly payment of only $3.50
per section and a charge of so cents
per thousand feet when timber is re-
moved, this to be increased to so cents
on January 1.
Washington manufacturers say that
reduction of wages is necessary to
enable them to compete with British
Columbia and will make it effective
July l. The union will resist and
threatens general strike in the entire
lumber industry.
The net result of the Underwood
tariff is to force American single man
ufaeturers in self defense to reduce
wages to the Oriental standard main
tanned in British Columbia. We are
fairly successful in excluding Oriental
labor, but If we admit it's products free,
our labor must accept the choice be-
tween Oriental wages and no job. An
attempt was made by the tariff reform
ers to console it with the prospect of
lower cost of living. but any reduction
in that particular has been so small as
to be imperceptible.
Had the United States gained any
advantage at any other point by ad-
hitting Canadian lumber and shingles
duty-free. there might be something
to say for that policy. but we have
gained nothing. We have literally
handed over the single industry to
Canada without receiving anything in
exchange. Reciprocity would have been
an exchange of openings in each
others markets. but the Canadians re-
jected it. They apparently foresaw the
! advent of a democratic administration
and reasoned: "Why should we bay
for what Uncle Sam offers, when, by
| waiting a few years. we can get it for
| nothing?' If so, their reasoning proves
to have been eminently sound
| Instead of reducing the cost of liv
| ing, 1t is now announced by the Mas
| ter Bakers association of the state of
Washington that the price of bread will
be raised on these shingle makers and
| all workmen. In the place of 30 loav-
es for $1.00 they will get but 2s. This
is another practical lesson of free trade