Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1909 — THE “JOKER” IN THE LUMBER TARIFF. [ARTICLE]

THE “JOKER” IN THE LUMBER TARIFF.

The lumber schedule of the bill the Ways and Means Committee has just reported is a profound disappointment to the lumber consumer. While the duty on rough lumber is-reduced from $2 to fl the duty on finished lumber in all forms is leR so high as to remain prohibitive. Hough lumber owing to transportation charges cannot be Imported into the United States except where water transportation is available. Consequently the reduction on rough lumber is of no benefit whatever to the farmers and other consumers in the great interior country. Finished lumber can be imported because of the saving in railway rates as compared with rough lumber if the tariff permit it, but as proposed it does not permit it.' About ninety per cent of the lumber shipped from a mill by rail goes through the planing mill before it is put on the cars. About the same percentage of the lumber sold at a retail lumber yard is planed or finished in some measure.- That is to say, the ordinary consumer of lumber buys finished lumber almost entirely. And the lumber schedule as drafted makes it Impossible for him to get this lumber from abroad. Therefore, he will be entirely dependent on domestic supplies as before. This is the kind of revision that may fool, but will not benefit. Eve.ry congressman who wants to help his constituents to get cheaper lumber should insist on free lumber, both “rough and finished. Failing in that he should insist that finished lumber which is what his .average constituent buys shall not be taxed more than rough lumber, which is what the average constituent does not buy.