mills in western British Columbia employ a full complement of white labor. This is graphically portrayed in the photographs. (See Exhibit A.) Here are scenes in mills located in the United States, where only American white labor is employed, whereas one hour's ride on the railroad will bring one into the mills where oriental labor predominates. It is admitted that Japanese are employed to a limited extent in the State of Washington, but so limited that only two shingle mills of a total of 434 employ oriental labor, while in British Columbia it is a common occurrence where out of a crew of 50 less than 5 are white men. This is thoroughly covered by the affidavits in Exhibit A. (See Exhibit A.) Mr. Bloedel (see Exhibit A) goes into the average wages paid in his plant, 20 miles from the British Columbia border. His wages are a trifle higher than the average. Following are average daily wages on Puget Sound, in the State of Washington, and in western British Columbia: Oriental common labor in British Columbia, 80 cents to $1.50. In a mill cutting 100,000 feet of lumber per day 25 men are skilled and 75 unskilled. On the basis of white labor the British Columbia lumber manufacturer still has the advantage in the cost of labor over his American competitor. In the case of oriental labor, which predominates in British Columbia saw and shingle mills, the advantage is pronounced. The wages of the 75 Orientals, at an average of $1.15 per day, would be $86.25, while the wages of 75 American unskilled laborers would be $169.75. It will be conceded, perhaps, that this item alone would enable the British Columbia lumber manufacturer to undersell his American competitor, provided the duty be removed. The foregoing statement of wages for Puget Sound was compiled from reports received from over 100 sawmills. The British Columbia statement is from the Reliable Labor Agency, of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is included in Exhibit B. (See Exhibit B.) Covering the cost of labor in eastern British Columbia-a section covered in the testimony of Mr. Lynch-the affidavit of Mr. F. D. Becker, of Seattle, Wash., may throw some light. This is included in Exhibit C. In relation to the labor and the wages paid in shingle mills in British Columbia, this item is covered in Exhibits A and B. In every department of a shingle mill, except the sawyer and engineer, Chinese are employed. In the State of Washington only two shingle mills employ Orientals. In the matter of wages, the relative position of foreign and American vessels should not be overlooked. The wages of a British-manned vessel is $15 per month for sailors, and a Chinese-manned vessel $8 per month, while the wages received by American sailors are $40 per month. This would give the British Columbia lumber manufacturers a decided advantage in freight rates to California in the event of the removal of the duty on lumber. As California consumes annually over 1,200,000,000 feet of lumber from Washington and Oregon it can be seen how thorough the demoralization is threatened. The estimated number of men employed in the lumber and shingle industry, number of mills, and annual pay roll on the Pacific coast is as follows: On the basis of four persons to the family, no less than 761,476 persons on the Pacific coast are directly dependent on the lumber industry. At a cost of $12 per month for subsistence, these 761,476 persons contribute to the farmers and others annually the sum of $109,652,764 for foodstuffs. The farmer who will be benefited in his lifetime to any extent whatever by free lumber should study the situation with reference to the purchasing power of labor in the event lumber is placed on the free list. Not only will the lumber industry suffer, but the railroads will lose the haul from the Pacific coast. The railroads carry annually 160,000 carloads of lumber and its products from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Montaña. This means the employment of an army of men. In fact, so vital is the lumber industry to the Pacific coast that all interests must suffer. Mr. George M. Allen, commissioner of statistics of the State of Washington, gives the valuation of the products of that State for 1906 as follows: It will be noted that of the total the lumber and shingle industry contributed $82,000,000. If this industry is crippled the entire State will suffer. In the removal of the duty on lumber the laboring man and the farmer will be the principal sufferers. The pay roll will go to British Columbia, and the Canadian farmer will supply the foodstuffs. The only way the American lumber manufacturer could compete would be by the withdrawal of the exclusion act or the removal of the duty on foodstuffs. A word about the efficiency of oriental labor. It will be noted in Exhibit A that the Hindus are large men-in fact, trained soldiers and British subjects. Physically the Japanese and Chinese are not in the same class, but nevertheless have equal endurance. It does not require two Japanese for one white man, as has been stated. As a matter of fact, all labor in the sawmill is back of different machines, and speed is required to take the lumber from the machines. Any practical lumberman knows that it would be impossible for two men back of a machine to carry out the work. Taking it mill by mill, the British Columbia mills employ the same number of men as the American mills of given capacity. In shingle mills in British Columbia the Chinese shingle mill crews are employed by piecework. It is interesting in this connection to note the following statement of the arrivals of Orientals at the Canadian ports of Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, during the ten months ending October 31, 1907, by W. L. MacKenzie, commissioner, to the governor-general in council, and on file at the interior department at Ottawa: Assuming, however, that 7,500 was the total Japanese population at the be ginning of the year, it is not a matter of surprise that with the arrival at their shores of 8,125 Japanese in the ten months following the people of British Columbia, and more especially the residents of Vancouver, should have experienced some concern, and that as vessel after vessel landed an increasing number, until in fewer months than it had taken years to bring the Japanese population of British Columbia to what it was, this total was exceeded by new arrivals, that consternation should have been felt in many quarters. If anything more were needed to occasion unrest, it was to be found in the simultaneous arrival from the Orient of Hindus by the hundreds and Chinese in larger numbers than those of immediately preceding years. It was an alarm at numbers, and the cry of a white Canada was raised. The Canadian government does not place a head tax on Japanese, and the Hindus are British subjects. Attention is again called to Exhibit A and the affidavits attached, showing the extent of oriental labor employed in the mills of British Columbia. In comparison, it may be stated that of the 190,000 men employed in the lumber industry of the Pacific coast States less than 2,000 are other than white labor, and that the wages paid exceed those of other occupations. EXHIBIT A. Photographs and statements of J. Wayland Clark, F. L. Housley, and J. H. Bloedel, with reference to the duty on lumber and shingles and the effect its removal would have on the lumber industry. STATE OF WASHINGTON, County of Whatcom, 88: I, J. Wayland Clark, a resident of the city of Bellingham, State of Washington, being first duly sworn, do depose that during twenty |