NELSON n. WALCOTT, PROVIDENCE, R. I.. GORDON C. EDWARDS. OTTAWA. ONT., CAN., 

 PRESIDENT. riKST VICE-PRESIDENT. 



W. W. KNIGHT, INDIANAPOLIS. IND., 

 SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT. 



' H ^TOiibaasOTiam^OT iOTait^^scK m^Witiittii^^ '' 



That sterling and foremost lumber organization, the National 

 Wholesale Lumber Dealers ' Association, held its twenty-first annual 

 meeting at the Hotel Chelsea, Atlantic City, on Thiirsdaj' and 

 Friday, March 6 and 7. 



There was only a moderate attendance at the first ses.sion, but 

 this gradually grew as the various meetings progressed, until at 

 the final meeting, on Friday afternoon, there was the usual repre- 

 sentative gathering. This meeting, of course, was made up largely 

 of eastern manufacturers and wholesalers, but there was a consid- 

 erable sprinkling present of allies of the organization from the 

 South and Middle West. 



The address of welcome was made b.y the Hon. William Kiddie, 

 mayor of Atlantic City, who addressed the meeting on the subject 

 of "Commission Government," in which he ably contrasted the 

 advantages of this municipal government with that of the old 

 council and department system. 



N. H. Walcott of Providence on behalf of the association made 

 a "suitable response to the mayor 's address. 



On motion, the reading of the minutes of the last meeting and 

 the roster of members was omitted. 



President Parker delivered his annual address as follows: 

 Address of President 



Tlir Natiouiil Wliiili'sali' Liimljrr DraliTs' .Vssociation, now assembled 

 in its t\vent.v-rirst annual niectins, has had an honorable career. Founded 

 in New York Cit.v in l!Sfi4 b.v a handful of eastern and Michigan lum- 

 l>ennen. it has cnnthuu d to grow and prosper until its membership now 

 numbers over four hiMHlrort. clislribuleil among thirty states and Canada, 

 and its influence is widespread in the whole range of the lumber trade 

 from manUiii'-turer to retailer. 



It was in a spirit of bettering the conditions existing in the luml)er 

 trade that the fifteen men met and incorporated under the name now 

 recognized as one of the leading trade associations of this countr.v. Con- 

 sider the ob.iect of the association as defined in its charter — "To protect 

 members against unbusinesslike methods in the wholesale and retail 

 lumber trade ; to foster such trade and commerce ; to reform abuses in 

 sueh trade or business: and to seciu-e freedom from unjust or unlawful 

 exactions ; to dilf\isc .iceurate information among its members as to the 

 standing of merchants and others b.v and with whom such trade or 

 business is conducted ; ttt produce tmiformit.v and certainty in the cus- 

 toms and usages of said trade and of those engaged therein ; to settle 

 differences between its members, and to promote a larger and more 

 friendly intereour.se iK'tween them." I submit that the National Whole- 

 sale Luml>er Dealers" Association has fully lived up to its purposes as 

 defined in its charter, and is entitled to the support of every wholesale 

 InTTilM-rnian. 



The past year has lieen an active one in most departments of associa- 

 tion work, and I believe the organization machinery was never in 



—so- 



better shape to produce results for our members than at the present time. 

 The good judgment and painstaking efforts of our efficient secretary, 

 aided b.v his able corps of assistants, has brought the organization to a 

 high degree of etflciency which has been reflected by the unusual 

 harmonious relations which have existed between this association and all . 

 branches of the lumber trade during the past year : and in the many 

 matters which have been presented and passed upon, this association 

 lias di.spla.ved a spirit of fairness and good .ludgment which has given 

 it a high standing with other associations and individuals with whom 

 it has eome in contact. Our relations with the several lumber manu- 

 facturing and retail associations were never more harmonious, and much 

 good lias resulted to the lumber trade from the combined efforts of 

 our association acting with other lumber trade associations to correct 

 Ml)uses in several matters affecting the lumber trade. 



Our retail friends have felt, 1 believe, that they havi' had our support 

 in their efforts to keep the lumber business in proper channels, as all 

 lumbermen recognize that any change in policy which would disturb the 

 relations between manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer and consumer would 

 lii'ing about chaotic conditions which could not hut affect seriously all 

 liranches of the himher business, and bring a detriment to all and a 

 hr'nelit to none. 



The first and most important woik of the association has always been 

 and is now, in my opinion, the work covered by the bureati of informa- 

 tion and legal department, and while I will leave to the chairman of the 

 bureau and the manager of the legal department to give a detailed report 

 of the work which this department is doing for our members, I feel it is 

 m.i' privilege to point out to ail of oiu* members the great value of tliese 

 departments. 



The bureau of inf(u-mation. or credit department, is splendidly equipped 

 10 give accurate information regarding the financial standing and busi- 

 ni'ss methods of wholesale and retail lumber buyers, such as can be 

 elitained from no other source. Over thirty-two thousand lumber buyers 

 ari' rated by this department, and up-to-date reports can be promptly 

 I htalned upon recpiest by mail or telegraph, giving the financial respon- . 

 sihility, moral business risk and business methods of any of these buyers. 

 No mercantile agency can furnish the valuable information that thj 

 bureau is able to give, and no member can afford to be wdthout these 

 reports. 



I wish to compliment the chairman of the bureau of information and 

 its department manager, for having brought the bureau up to a still 

 tiigher grade of efficienc.v this year by their carefid and painstaking 

 \\ork; and if the association had no other asset than its bureau of in- 

 formation, this alone would remain a monument to the usefulness and 

 good results of our association work. Having served for several years 

 m.vself as chairman of the bureau of information, and having been in- 

 strumental in the starting of the legal department, and knowing what 

 lliese departments are doing for our members and tlie lumber trade as a 

 wholi'. you will pardon me if I indulge in a superlative when calling to 

 yruu- attention the splendid work being done and the results accomplished 

 liy these departments. 



Our chairman advises that he is at present getting u|i a blue book of 

 good words from our members who are using the bureau, and 1 earnestly 



