Mr. BLAGIEE. I desire to sayaword in regard to a point which I think has not been sufficiently impressed upon the attention of the corn ttee. I do not think the lumber interest would object to the scale of duties reported by the ComWays&Means at all if they had the slightest faith or the slightest assur nnce that these duties could be en breed. The ComWays&Means propose to put a duty of 3 dollars per 1,000 on lumber over 12 dollars per 1,000 feet. I would like to ask the honorable chairman of that committee how much lumber is imported at Itfhat price. you can have an honest and fair valuation of the lumber imported, the duties in this bill are satisfactory; but it is just because they propose this vicious, cheating inducement to fraud, the system of valorem, that I object to it, and object on the part of the lumber interest. Under this bill you will not have any lumber come in valued at a higher rate than your minimum. The moment you put this adealorcm system into your customhouses you invite these men to fraud, and invite them very much more to fraud than if you imposed the old duty of 20%., because you not onlyingraft the advalorem principle on your system. but you tell these cunnin provincials just where to strike to evade the duties. Ifyo. but the minimum at 7 dollars pertlrousan the invoice price will be placed at $0 75 per 1,000; it you put it at 8 dollars the invoice price will be $7 75; if at 9 dollars, then the invoice rice will be $8 75; and at whatever price you x the minimum, the invoice will be sure to be placed just below it and therefore I denounce this proposition of the committee (although I do not think they so intended itq as a fraud upon the revenue as well as a fraud upon the lumber interest. It will result in a fraud upon the Government and in defrauding one of the interests proposed to be protected by the Government. Now, a word inreply to the Gentfrom Michigan, [Mr. Fearrv] who ras been advo cating the admission of lumber, in order to enablethe people of the South to rebuild the houses that have been destroyed by the war. I would ask the gentleman if he exccts many houses to be built in the 11 soutern States oflum her from Canada. Almost all of those States have lumber of their own, as good lumber as can be obtained anywhere; and iftheir Representatives were here today, lhave no doubt the would say to us, give us aspecific duty on umber, and thus enable us to develop that interest among us. I desire also to say a word in reply to the honorable Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. GARrrrrn.] His figures represent the case differ ently to my mind from what they seem to his mind. Instead of the vast amount of profit which he represents, if he will deduct from the returns the amount of depreciation of the investment, there will be no such margin of profit left as is the case with other interests. The very figures the gentleman gives are unreliable; I do not attach much importance to them.