30 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



The year just closed, especially the latter half, has been a very pros- 

 perous one in all lines of business, including lumber, and it is my opinion, 

 as well as the expressed opinion of many, that the prosperous conditions 

 which exist today are accounted for to a great extent by reason of the 

 large crop production, and that the present prosperity will continue at 

 least until this year's crops are considered in business calculations. 

 With the splendid crops with which we were favored last year, exports 

 amounted to nearly two and one-half billion dollars, and deposits in 

 savings banks at about the four billion dollar mark, unsatisfactory busi- 

 ness conditions in this country would have been remarkable indeed. To 

 my mind only unnatural causes can prevent continued prosperity 

 throughout the present year. It is true there are problems confronting 

 us which if not rightly solved may lead to confusion, but I am firmly 

 convinced that the people of this country will meet these problems fairly, 

 and are more able now to intelligently solve them than ever before. 



I further believe that the lumbermen will do their part toward a cor- 

 rect solution of those problems which effect their own line of endeavor. 

 In making this statement, I am not blind to the fact that perhaps no 

 other Industry with the importance of lumber in the commercial world 

 Is today handled with as great waste and as little intelligence as our 

 product. 



It is my , observation also that never before in the history of the 

 industry have the lumbermen been so aroused and alive to these facts, 

 and I venture the prediction that those who baye worked so long and 

 earnestly along intelligent lines, will soon reap the reward which is 

 Justly theirs, and realize that their efforts have borne fruit. This 

 associatiott'undoubtedly deserves a prominent place in the rank of workers 

 striving for more satisfactory results. The industry has been handi- 

 capped and assailed on every hand, and one thing that has effected our 

 industry most seriously is the cry that the fast diminishing forests made 

 absolutely essential the adoption of substitutes for lumber. 



There is ample timber in this country, if properly handled, to meet the 

 demands for generations;. It is quite true that timber is becoming less 

 plentiful, as the annual consumption, together with the waste, is exceed- 

 ing the growth. Eliminate the waste, harvest our timber as other crops 

 are harvested, and within a short time the growth will equal consump- 

 tion. This is a statement which I know will be doubted by many, but 

 observation has shown me that there are certain sections of our country 

 in which the growth of timber, after the removal of matured trees, is 

 simply astoDishiDg,_ and in such sections the one who has that power 

 seems to have allotted it for the growth of timber, as it appears to be 

 adapted to no other purpose. My remarks are applicable only to the 

 character of land that I have referred to, and not to lands where crops 

 other than timbers can be much more profitably produced. What would 

 be thought of the farmer who harvested his wheat before it was ripe, 

 or six months after its maturity? The same might properly be thought 

 of the lumberman. It is easy to belong to the m.ajorlty. It requires no 

 special ability to drift with the tide, to do as our forefathers did, but 

 it is the constructive thinkers who seize new ideas, and who have the 

 courage to proclaim their convictions that really count. 



The effort to find a substitute for lumber for every purpose has about 

 run its course, but the greatest effort must be made on the part of 

 lumbermen to prevent the misuse of lumber, which in every instance pro- 

 motes the introduction of a substitute. How many lumbermen are con- 

 vinced that the all-steel passenger car is as necessary to the protection 

 of life as the steel corporation through the public press is endeavoring 

 to lead the people to believe? Is it not the theory of those best informed 

 that the steel underframe with the wood top appeals to them as the 

 logical conclusion, and do you not believe by proper effort the public may 

 also be convinced? Do you think it possible that "good old wood" can 

 be substituted in home-building by any material that will give it the 

 same warm and homelike qualities? 



I heartily recommend that you earnestly support the advertising cam- 

 paign which the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association is endeav- 

 oring to promulgate. While no great harm can come from the advertising 

 of any specific kind of wood, if a general advertising campaign is con- 

 ducted against substitutes, without such campaign there will no doubt be 

 inaugurated by the different associations independent campaigns, resulting 

 in a fight for supremacy of one wood over the other, which should be 

 avoided. Millions of dollars are being expended in the exploiting of sub- 

 stitutes for lumber, and we should meet this movement with united 

 effort. We are combatted by public prejudice, a difficult thing to meet. 

 and I do not think this can be overcome except by a general campaign of 

 education and advertising. A few years ago the use of the wooden box 

 appeared to be at an end, and it was freely predicted that with this 

 result we would never have a market to consume all our low-grade prod- 

 uct. Today the supply of low grade is not in excess of the demand. 

 Great credit should be given to the National Box Classification Com- 

 mittee whose campaign was conducted in a remarkably intelligent and 

 aggressive manner. I fear it is not being given the credit which it so 

 richly deserves. 



An equally intelligent campaign against other so-called substitutes, 

 conducted by men qualified to handle it, would bring similar beneficial 

 results. This campaign has resulted in a demand for box standardization, 

 a matter in which the lumber producer as well as the box manufacturer 

 Is vitally interested, and if properly handled will result in much benefit 

 to both, but a detriment if improperly looked after. I think the lumber 

 manufacturer should lend his every assistance to the box industry to solve 



this problem. We should aid in overcoming conditions which involve a 

 hardship upon any of our customers. 



Of interest is the action of the window glass industry, which recently 

 decided to make a charge for boxes, a movement undoubtedly beneficial 

 to lumber. All commodities should be subject to a charge for boxing. 

 If the consumer pays this tax the interest of the shipper is in having 

 the goods reach his customer in proper condition, and the false economy 

 now being practiced, of attempting to furnish packing cases at the lowest 

 possible figure, irrespective of efficiency, will, to a degree, be eliminated. 

 A subject which should be given attention is the probable enactment in 

 most states of a workmen's compensation law, in order that just and 

 proper bills may be enacted, and that all states have bills of similarity 

 to prevent confusion. This brings to my mind the vital question of 

 citizenship. Many of us refuse to participate in local politics, fearing 

 revenge at the hands of the politicians. This to my mind is the height 

 of cowardice. As property owners and citizens we should assert ourselves. 

 Frequent increase of lumber rates tlie past few months by the railroads 

 indicates a concerted effort for a general increase of rates on lumber. 

 Numerous rate hearings have been held before the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission, and in almost if not every instance, the railroads have been 

 represented by a battery of attorneys who put witnesses through a severe 

 mill. The railroads appear to be united, and are much better organized 

 than are the lumbermen. I fear that it is an unorganized movement 

 against a well drilled organization, with prospects of the usual result. A 

 thorough investigation of this subject will show that lumber as a com- 

 modity is at present faying higher rates of freight than its just propor- 

 tion. I would recommend a uniting of our forces and the employment of 

 experts to investigate and properly present our case before the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission. We boast of our railroad systems, yet they kill 

 more people in the year than all the railroads of Europe combined. One 

 of the oldest eastern roads in America constructed at small expense, run- 

 ning through the most thickly populated district of the country, has had a 

 most appalling list of accidents in the past few years, caused or aggra- 

 vated by careless methods and obsolete rolling stock. Casual outsiders 

 complain that it is almost impossible to operate railroads at a profit. 

 This is mere rubbish. In spite of bad management, and in spite of high 

 cost of labor, the road just referred to, can and does earn more than 

 len per cent of its real valuation today, but its earnings have been 

 watered down, and its finances crippled by the purchase of competing 

 trolley lines at double their true value. 



We have and arc now passing through demand of the public for gov- 

 ernment Investigation of all lines of trade. No member of this organi- 

 zation need fear any violation of the law on our part. We are not only 

 keeping within the letter, but within the spirit of all government restric- 

 tions. With the high cost of timber, and increased cost of production, 

 this organization is dealing with a condition and not a theory. Prior to 

 its existence a profitable hardwood lumber operation was almost unknown. 

 It was a business of hard work and no profits. It was difficult for many 

 to even get the comforts, to say nothing of the luxuries of life. The 

 banks of the country classed the industry as an undesirable risk. Timber 

 was bought very cheap, labor was plentiful and wages low, but the only 

 profits we received were on paper. It was easy to figure out how much 

 profit we should make, but actual results never equalled our paper expecta- 

 tions. A small body of men determined that these conditions were not 

 right, and should be changed. It was a hard fight, not yet finished, but 

 the ground gained will never be lost, and we are still striving, not for 

 more than our just dues, but for what we are legitimately entitled to. 

 The principles of this organization are correct, and deserve the same 

 support from every manufacturer of hardwood lumber as is given to any 

 other department of his business. 



One word on the marketing of our product. Let us thoroughly grind 

 into our sales department that their duty is to sell the product that 

 the logs produce when handled to their best advantage, and they are to 

 seek customers whose requirements demand the product of manufacturing 

 plants which handle their product as indicated. 



It is a great achievement, in these days of big business, to be a repre- 

 sentative concern in any line. Such a reputation is extremely hard to 

 acquire, and equally difficult to maintain. I urge every member of this 

 organization to give the greatest care to the production of his lumber by 

 properly manufacturing, curing and shipping his stock, and this, coupled 

 with the policy of our organization to give to all the fairest, squarest 

 treatment possible, will result In this organization maintaining the 

 dominant position it now holds in the lumber trade. 



I thank you for the generous co-operation given me throughout the 

 year, and bespeak for my successor the same cordial treatment. I shall 

 .■ilways cherish my association with the officers and members of this 

 organization, to whose call I shall at all times gladly respond. 



Secretary Doster read the treasurer's report, which showed the 

 following statement: 



Cash on hand January 31. 1912 $ 2,028.80 



Cash receipts for year ending January 31, 1913... 32,670.62 



$34,699.42 

 Disbursements, same period 32,373.51 



Cash on hand January 31, 1913 ? 2,325.91 



Cash in bank $ 2,323.98 



Petty cash 1.9o 



$2,325.91 



