New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-30
ReAexes Of War

The cork industry in the Barcelons
consular district in Spain is chiefly as
sociated with the towns Of PalafrugelI'
San Felix de Guixols and Palamos.
The cork bark is gathered from vari-
Gus parts of Spain and made into man
featured articles at the points men
toned. Under normal conditions 80
per cent of cork goods is exported, and
the exports are valued at some $4,000
COO annually. Nearly 100 towns ana
villages have interests in the industry,
and as many as forty-nine towns and
villages depend almost entirely upon II
as a means Of support Since the war
this industry has suffered greatly, com
munication with former markets by
sea being interrupted, free transit py
Switzerland prohibited and storage
taxes in France high. With mucn OF
the export trade paralyzed the indus-
try has also to contend with dlihcu!tles
in securing raw material. Under nor
NAL conditions cork bark is brought
to this district by boat, but frelgnt
rates have risen to such an extent that
cork forest owners have been obliged
20 DISPOSE of cork of grades used IN
making fine cork shoppers at 70 per
cent less than the regular price, cork
for making cork paper at 80 per cent
less and coarser grades at 40 per cent
less. An exception to the general de-
crease is seen in the case OF cork waste.
which has risen about 20 per cent. Inc
condition is such in the cork industry, as
a whole. that many factories making
cork goods may be obliged to close and
thousands of operatives thrown out OF
employment
In 1915 the zinc ore produced IN
Canada was valued at slightly more
than 100000; in 1915 the value was
81 900. goo. The output OF copper IN
1915 was 02,612,486 pounds. as com
pared with 125,000,000 pounds IN 1916,
and the price in the former year was
17L cents per pound, as against an
average of 81 cents in 1915. Ihese are
examples of the great expansion IN the
mining districts of Central and west
ern Canada.
Sir Thomas White, Canadian Finance
Minister. speaking during the budget
debate before the Dominion Parlia-
ment, said:
"There is no reason why capital seek
ing investment should not flow into this
country to-day notwithstanding the
taxation. Look at the taxation OF inc
United States, actual and prospective;
| think the business man OF the Onlleu
States, as one of their leading men told
me over there the other day, would not
be deferred by this taxation measure
from coming into Canada, because he Is
going to be pretty heavily taxed at
home anyway. So that argument Is
not of very much weight, even from a
business standpoint. The people of
this country demand that men shall not
be permitted to make undue profits IN
time of war. say undue profits. be-
leve the public are quite willing that
men should make reasonable profits.
II has been said that men will not put
forth an effort If we are going TO take
away 80 or 10 per cent of their excess
profits. | DO not believe that is so. |
do not believe that any patriotic man
will relax his efforts because the gov
eminent intends to take so per cent or
70 per cent of his excess profits"
Traffic through che canals Of Canada
in 1916 showed an increase of 8,3s4,6so
tons. After eliminating all duplication
the net tonnage is given as 21,0l1, 800
tons. The distribution Of gross traffic
in tons was as follows: Sault Ste.
Marie, l6,sl3,649; Welland, 2,544,964;
st. Lawrence, 3,36s,064 Chambly, $685.
OFT; st. Peters, 1929; Murray, 46,68O;
Ottawa, 237,65l Rideau, los, 430; Trent.
$4,000; St. Andrews, 13,438. The total
volume Of Canadian wheat moved
through the canals Of Canads and the
United States at Sault Ste. Marie in
1915 was 185,003,667 bushels. OF this
quantity S2,s07,342 bushels passed
through the Canadian canal. Larger
accommodation on the American side of
the st. Mary's River probably accounts
for the preference given that channel.
The growth since 1895 in the volume of
Canadian swheat annually carried
through the Canadian canal at Sault
Ste. Marie is seen from these figures:
1895, 1857 800 bushels; 1900, 5,573,267
bushels; 1910, 51,774,s33 bushels; 1913,
1Ol 066.l33 bushels; 1915, S2,s07,342
II