HARDWOOD RECORD 



.'.king about. This 

 talk about 'the jobber and others not taking 

 red handles is all rot. Fact is, white handles 

 are actually thrown at them; consequently, 

 they don't know what to think when they see 

 a red handle. The majority of the trade today 

 never saw a hickory tree, and many of them 

 do not believe that there is any such thing as 



red hickory. They believe it is all a myth. 

 For instance, one time while making a sale in 

 one of the northern cities, the buyer, in look- 

 ing over his stock came across a red hickory 

 handle. "Well, I declare," he remarked, 'I 

 cannot recall ever buying any oak handles; I 

 wonder where it came from." And I did not 

 dare to enlighten him. , , ^ 



Another time, we were asked by a buyer in 

 New York it it was not a fact that we took 

 small pieces of hickory waste and glued red 

 wood to them in order to make a block large 

 enough to produce the desired size of handle. 

 As much as we desire to refrain from any- 

 thing of a personal nature, for we view this 

 matter from a business standpoint, and do not 

 blame anyone for doing just what we would 

 do ourselves, we wish to refer to a certain axe- 

 handle known as the . What are its 



qualifications? Just two, and only two; i. e., 

 they are well shaped and finished, and they 

 are white. While, however, we pass over any 

 criticism, we will add that in a late edition 

 of a popular paper, the manufacturer of this 

 brand of handles, in an interview for publica- 

 tion put up a great "spiel" about the fast 

 "disappearing hickorj'." elaborated with a 

 plan for propagating its species. Now, if he 

 (and a few others) will cut their stock with a 

 little less regard for the white, the hickory 

 will not disappear so fast, and there will be 

 less cause for price-cutting. 



Out of curiosity, we are taking the trouble 

 to express, prepaid, two handles. We have to 

 put these handles into the No. 2 grade, and 

 we appeal to vou and your association — is it 

 just, is it right? On the other hand, is' it 

 not almost a crime? j, ■, 



As we understand it, associations are formed 

 for the -purpose of eliminating so much 

 "human nature" in the business to be pro- 

 tected. In other words, every fellow divides a 

 little with the other, in so far as it is good 

 for the whole. But, so far in the new asso- 

 ciation as in the old. "human nature" seems 

 to be the slogan. , ^v. 



There is no woodworking business In the 

 United States that returns so small a profit as 

 does the handle business. And none that en- 

 tails the worry and waste. The complexion 

 of our output is its salesman, and the fellow 

 that applies cosmetics is a fakir. This proves 

 the need of something for the good of the 

 business; but, we assert, or rather we fail to 

 see how, there is any possible good to come 

 from an association founded upon as selfish a 

 basis as this seems to us to be. 



Nothing would give us more pleasure than 

 to sit with you all at some of the meetings 

 and go over this matter in detail, but such a 

 luxury is not for us. While you are gathered 

 around the festive board, we will partake of 

 our hominy and fat-back. 



With best wishes for anything that Is for 

 the good of business and humanity, we are 

 very truly, The W. H. Co. 



President Clendinen called for the report 

 of the Committee on the Canadian Tariff 

 Question. Charles T>. Gates, chairman, re- 

 sponded as follows: 



Committee on Canadian Tariff. 

 Mr. Gates: At the request of this associa- 

 tion I addressed letters to the British consul 

 at Toronto, submitting samples of finished, 

 rough-turned, and sawn handles, and asked 

 his ruling on same, stating as best I could 

 my arguments and reasons for having the 

 sawn handle put in the same class as the 

 finished and the rough-turned. I received his 

 ruling, which simply stated that the finished 

 and rough-turned handles will be admitted 

 only on the payment of twenty-five per cent 

 duty, but the sawn or shaped handle not 

 turned will be admitted into Canada the same 

 as lumber, free of duty. These Canadian 

 men come down here and buy our hickory, 

 shipping it into Canada without paying duty, 

 while if it is finished or rough-turned it is 

 subject to a duty of twenty-five per cent. Of 

 course this places us at quite a disadvantage, 

 and there is only one way to overcome it, 

 which is for some of the larger companies to 

 put factories in Canada it that is desirable. 

 It was moved and seconded that the report 

 be adopted. 



The Canadian Viewpoint. 

 Mr. Stevely: As a Canadian handle man 

 I would like to say that in regard to handles 

 coming into Canada free of duty there must 

 have been some collusion between the people 

 in your country and buyers in ours, because 

 if there were not, it would be an impossibil- 

 ity. We have known for some years that 

 rough-turned handles are not permissible to 

 enter Canada free of duty; but on account of 

 a change in our laws there in regard to rough- 

 turned spokes, some people over there took 

 advantage of it, and probably some of those 

 handles have been brought in. It has been 

 detrimental to us, but we have never been 

 able to reach the point of shipment and we 

 have never taken up the matter, in fact; but 

 I certainly know the goods have been brought 

 in. and if the seller here had been honest 



five per cent duty between the slabs from 

 this country and the finished handles is 

 greater than it should be, and there should 

 be some way to get the matter before the 

 government, and get some ruling. I think it 

 best to accept the report of this committee 

 and request that it take the matter up further 

 to the end that we either get the duty taken 



it would 



PHI 



with the purchaser and vice 

 have been nii impossibility. 



Mr. Clendinen: The matter has been dis- 

 cussed at several meetings and it was the 

 desire of the association if possible to get 

 ourselves on what we term an equitable basis 

 with the Canadian manufacturer in that ter- 

 ritory. Of course we feel that this twenty- 



C. D. GATES, LOUISVILLE, KY., DIRECTOR. 



off those handles or put on the others. To 

 the motion before the house, if the maker 

 will consent, we will add that this commit- 

 tee be continued, and so instructed. This 

 met with the approval of the association and 

 was so ordered. 



Market Conditions Committee. 



Mr. Peters: In the absence of our chair- 

 man, Mr. McCullough. in Europe, I will say 

 that as far as market conditions go, they are 

 in bad shape, and I find that all sorts of prices 

 prevail. Business is very light. The majority 

 of factories have very few orders, the man- 

 ufacturers seem to be selling all the way from 

 73, 75 and 5, 75 and 10 to 80 per cent off the 

 1908 list, and they certainly cannot be making 

 any money. They might just as well not be 

 doing business. We had an offer the other 

 day for .oi=-veial car loads at 70, 10 and 5 from 

 Ihe iriiil list. That brings extra sledges way 

 d.iwn und.-r ,$100. We find that conditions 

 abroad are about as bad as in this country. 

 There does not seem to be much trade in 

 England, Germany, Africa or South America. 

 They are all in about the same condition aa 

 here, and I don't think cutting prices is 

 going to influence trade one particle. None 

 will buy unless they need stock. With the 

 few orders we have we are asked to ship on 

 receipt of order. Taken all the way through, 

 I don't see how market conditions can be im- 

 iroved any by cutting prices. If we were to 

 pc-Il our handles oft list we would not get any 

 more business. If buyers need stock they 

 are willing to pay a just price because handles 

 are a necessity. 



Discussion of Market Conditions. 



Mr. Clendinen: Do you care to discuss this 

 report of the Committee on Market Condi- 

 tions, gentlemen? This is a very good subject 

 to talk about. First I would say in reference 

 to this meeting that it was intended to be 

 a general meeting of all handle makers. The 

 hickory people have no desire to take up all 

 the time, but inasmuch as Messrs. Sperry and 

 Alexander find themselves practically alone In 

 their lines, we will proceed with the business 

 at hand. 



