144 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



wood, or put on a sufficiently high duty so that it would not be exported, and 

 those people who own lands and limits and are not interested in pulp and 

 paper mills would suffer from the timber thief, and the timber thieves would 

 be the manufacturers of the pulp and paper. I think it is just as well to state 

 that on this question there is a very strong division of opinion. Mr. Rior- 

 dan says the Government of this country has allowed a policy of drift. I 

 think the Government of this country is very well seized of the position as 

 regards the export duty on pulp wood, and I think there are two very distinct 

 parties in this country, but the Government is the best posted on it, because 

 it has refused to put an export duty on, preferring to leave the matter where 

 it is, that is, to be decided by a committee or a commission representing both 

 countries. I have no doubt that in the very near future we shall see the 

 duties on paper very largely reduced : we shall see the duty on pulp taken off 

 completely, and very likely we shall have free lumber from Canada into the 

 United States. Is it not better to pursue such a policy than to have one of 

 retaliation, and bring on, perhaps, a tariff war whereby both of us would 

 be the losers? I think there are a large number of people in Canada who 

 would fight the pulp and paper manufacturer to the bitter end rather than 

 submit to any export duty on pulp. Perhaps these views are strong, but they 

 are the views that I hold, and I think I am supported by a very large num- 

 ber of people in Canada. We do not propose to have the property of the 

 majority, and by far the most valuable property in Canada, sacrificed to 

 grind the axe of a limited number. (Applause.) 



SENATOR EDWARDS : Allow me to say a word on that point. I hold this 

 firmly, that it is the duty of the Government to see that the lumbermen 

 don't cut undersized timber upon their limits. Once timber is cut and it 

 should be cut according to regulations for Heaven's sake let the poor man 

 who cuts it do what he likes with the timber. (Hear, hear.) 



RESOLUTION COMMITTEE'S REPORT. 



Mr. E. Stewart then brought in the report of the Committee on Resolu- 

 tions, which was as follows: 



Resolved: That this Association notes with interest that the Dominion 

 Government proposes to appoint a Parliamentary Committee to investigate 

 the condition of our forests. Having regard, however, to the complexity 

 of the questions involved, the necessity of securing a correct estimate of our 

 timber resources, the conservation of our water supply; as well as the 

 importance of international trade in forest products ; this Association desires 

 to urge upon the Federal Government the advisability of appointing a 

 Royal Commission with authority to summon witnesses, take evidence in 

 different parts of Canada and investigate the whole subject of our forest 

 wealth and methods of forest conservation, and report to Parliament with 

 a view to future joint action by the Federal and the various Provincial Gov- 

 ernments. 



