The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-12-17
PREDICTS DEMAND
FOR U. S. LUMBER
China Almost Without Timber 4;
Fair Treatment Needed.
EXPLOITATION DAY PASSED.

ods Must Be Employed In Dealing
With Chinese - Can't Be Fooled
Twiee-says United States Ought to
Control Lumber Trade.
Washington.-In a report just made
public Franklin H. Smith, commercial
agent Of the department of commerce,
predicts a large increase In the de-
mand for American lumber and forest
products IN China. At the same time
he points out existing difficulties and
the shortcomings of marketing meth
DDS now in vogue and makes sugges-
tons for lettering them.
China" he says, SIS almost without
timber today, and reforestation has
not yet been attempted. Reforesta-
ton, even II practiced upon a huge
scale. would not put China's timber on
a basis to equal consumption for ap-
proxfmately sixty to eighty years or
more. Its population is slowly shak-
ing OF the old order of existence and
turning toward the new-toward
greater agricultural and industrial &C.
tfvfty absorbing new ideas and adopt
ing new methods. With increasing de-
velopment along many lines and with
the extension of the railroads, with
their cfvlliZing and their trade creating
effects, there must of necessity come
larger. wider call for lumber. The
United States, with its durable, easily
worked and comparatively cheap tim
Der. will. with proper precautions. con-
troll this trade.
at may be well to emphasize the
fact that the Chinese want just treat
ment; the day of exploitation has about
passed. But because of long continued
exploitation the Chinese are bit chary
about placing an order for material of
which they have not detailed knowl-
edge. This Is true of lumber. Chinese
have been known to accept shipments
of materials Of various kinds, includ-
ing lumber, that were not up to speci-
dcation or grade, though all efforts to
get them to do business again with the
concern forcing the sale are fruitless.
"a standard list price, SO far as China
Is concerned, would result In as much
business being obtained as with end
less cutting. AS a matter of fact, f1uc-
uating prices have hurt rather than
helped IN getting Chinese orders.
While the Chinese are good and keen
traders, they are more content to have
a fixed price for a standard article,
such as lumber, where the margin Of
profit Is not great.
TOO much grade manipulation in
Oregon has been done in China ship
ments, and this has In a measure Gre
ated a feeling of distrust toward the
manufacturer, since the producer is the
one on whom the blame is placed for
all shortcomings. A standard China
grade, from which no departure should
be permitted by the manufacturers, is
needed If confidence is to be held.
Some of the Chinese buyers have be-
GENE sHeptieal of the ability of the
shippers to furnish cargoes of the same
general quality-a situation which has
arisen through the making of grade
to at the price and the acquiescence Of
the mill or mills In the practice.
with respect to selling lumber In
China, no serious attempt is made to
explain the excellent qualities for
every purpose of woods from the Unit
ed States Engineers connected with
the railways admitted in several in.
stances that they knew nothing about
the value of American woods for ties.
No conclusive data had ever reached
them as to durability, mechanical life,
resistance to decay under varying con-
ditions, cost and desirability of various
processes of preservative treatment
Municipal governments have not been
shown the value of wood block paving.
Architects know positively nothing OF
the superiority of American factory
made doors, sash. blinds. columns and
finish.
ssrhe problem of exchange is vex-
atious one to the lumberman doing
business ia China, or with the Chinese.
Settlements are made by the Chinese
IN extraordinarily tael was an ounce
of silver of a specified ineness-and
aimee taels are in silver, for which
values fuctuate daily through supply
ana demand the world over, decided
difference may attach itself to trans
action where a lapse of time occurs
hefore settlement. Exchange is very
much of a gamble, and with only
small variation will materially affect
the profit on a cargo OF lumber. When
N Is considered that the Chinese are
granted credit of four, six or even
eight months, the extent of the gamble
becomes the more apparent Some of
the yards operated in the larger cities
hV chinese have been In existence for
nsany years, and the proprietors are
well rated"