36 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



industrial and commercial organization in the United States. Harry 

 A. Wheeler of Chicago was elected president, and in addition there 

 were elected four vice-presidents, treasurer, secretary, assistant 

 secretary and various other officers. The various officers were ap- 

 pointed with the idea of having a representation from all sections 

 of the country, and of all kinds of manufacture and commerce. 



The report reviewed the sentiment as expressed regarding the 

 many organized chambers of commerce, stating that it is very 

 favorably considered in all official and legislative circles. The 

 speaker reviewed the proceedings of the first annual meeting of 

 the association. The meeting was held at Washington, January 

 21, 22 and 23. The first annual banquet was held on Wednesday 

 evening during that meeting, and among the speakers were Presi- 

 dent Taft and Dr. Elliott, ex-president of Harvard University. 

 The speeches of both these gentlemen strongly urged the need 

 •of such an organization. 



Resolutions were adopted by the National Chamber of Commerce 

 at this meeting on the Page bill, which bill was endorsed in its 

 essential provisions, and urged upon Congress for enactment. This 

 is a bill to provide for compulsory education up to a certain age. 

 The Pomerene bill providing for safeguarding cotton bills of lading 

 against forgery was endorsed. 



In speaking of the order of the recent ■•Hlministvation provid- 

 ing for examination for entrance to the counsular and diplomatic 

 service, the promotion from grade to grade, the association stateil 

 that it should be given recognition, stability and permanency by 

 enactment into law. Considering a banking and currency system, 

 resolutions on this question were referred to the board of directors 

 for action. 



Eesolutions endorsing the idea of a permanent tariff commission 

 were adopted. 



This report was followed by a discussion. 



.John M. Woods reported for the committee on forestry as fol- 

 lows: 



Report of Forestry Committee 



siu'itt'ully lu-y til siiiimii ihi- fullowin.i; 



Tlic committi'c mi fin-i str,\' 

 report : 



We view Willi doi'ii conccru the efforts that lui' bring made in Congress 

 and some of tbe state legislatures to turn over the national forests, their 

 mauagi'incnt and resources, to the states in which they are located. We 

 believe these national forests are the property of tlie whole people and 

 are the most significant and concrete expression of the principle of 

 conservation. Under the present intelligent managemem nf the national 

 government, monopoly of these public resources is prevented, their pres- 

 ent and future u-^es for all the people secured. Once public ownership is 

 surrendered, the three great resources— timl)er. water and foragi — will 

 quickly be monopolized for private advantage. The financial burden for 

 the protection, administration and development of these forests would 

 involve a financial burden far beyond the ability of any state to assume. 

 With the general government in control of the.si' forests a sound, stable 

 policy will be assured, free frnm any local, political nr other influences, 

 whereas, if left to the several states in which they are located, they 

 will be made the football of private interests and political factions. This 

 ohangp can only moan the abandonment of fori'st conservation as a 

 sound and safe public policy, and presenting to a few states wealth that 

 figures can hardly express, and that rightfully belong to all the states. 

 'I'liere is no mistaking the attitude of many senators and representatives 

 toward the ownership and management of these vast national resources. 

 This is shown in curtailment of appropriations and all manner of 

 ■criticisms. There should be the amplest appropriation for the prevention 

 of forest (ires and investigation of the v.ilue of what is both above and 

 below the surface and of the practical and financial value iif the water 

 ■of which the forest is the natural storage reservoir. There will probably 

 be an extra session of Congress which will attempt a revision of the 

 tariff all along the line, including lumber and forest products. Vour 

 committee docs not deem it wise, in view of the probable divergence of 

 opinion existing in our association on the tariff, to make any specific 

 recommendations, believing that all who are interested for or against any 

 change should communicate their views t,o their senators and representa- 

 tives in Congress. While the tariff is made a political question, it should 

 be taken out of that domain, and become, as it is a purely business 

 matter and should be worked out as in Germany, by a permanent non- 

 partisan board of competent tariff experts. 



We are dealing with a great vital living question affeel in^ I lie present 

 and future happiness and prosperity of ninety millions of people. Arc we. 

 as an association, and individuals, doing our whole duty and making our 

 influence for good felt, not only in our own business. Init in that wider 

 field, the public and lawmaking bodies? State and uatinnal legislatures are 

 flooded with bills affecting cither directly or indirectly ever.A- member of 



this association. President DeLaney, of the Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 .Association, Feb. 4, said : "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." Your chairman would like to see this asso- 

 ciation and every commercial organization throughout the land have the 

 moral courage to take up, discuss and vote on the great questions affect- 

 ing not only our own industry, but the public welfare. It would have 

 great weight with legislators, especially if supplemented by a personal 

 letter of .vour senator or representative. It seems to me the prayer of 

 every lumberman and good citizen ought to be ; 

 "God give us men, 

 .\ time like this demands. 



Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands : 

 Men whom the lust of office does not kill, 

 Men whom the lust of office cannot bu.v. 

 .Men who possess opinions and a will. 

 .Men who have honor, men who will not lie, 

 Men who can stand before a demagogue 

 And down his treacherous flatteries without winking ; 

 Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog. 

 In public duty and in private thinking." 



Following the report of Mr. Woods ', the advisory committee to 

 the American rorestry Association reported through Chairman 

 E. C. Lippineott. The chairman reported that there was little to 

 speak of in the matter of accomplishment for the past year. There 

 was no communication of the advisory board directly with the 

 American Forestry Association. 



The report told of the rapid growth in numbers, financial 

 strength and jiublic prestige of the American Forestry Associa- 

 tion and reviewed the effort leading up to the en.ictment of the 

 Week's bill providing for Appalachian and White Mountain forest 

 reserves. It told of the work that has already been done in. the 

 matter of purchasing timberiands for water reserves with the appro- 

 priations provided by this act. 



The report reviewed the work done in the matter of forest fire 

 jirevention, and said that frequent discussions of this question such 

 as are effected through the various meetings of the American For- 

 estry Association, would result in the eventual successful solution 

 of the problem. Already a great deal of valuable and efficient 

 work has been done in the matter of protecting the forests against 

 fire. 



Referring to the agitation which has been going on for some 

 time in the matter of the transferring of the national forests to 

 the control of the states, the committee went on record as being 

 distinctly and unconditionally opposed to any such action, and 

 endorsed the policy and accomplishments of the federal forest 

 service, and stated that the attempt to return forest lauds to state 

 control is merely an effort on the part of those interested in fraud- 

 ulent exploitation and national reserves to get state reserves in a 

 ))Osition where the}' are available. The report closes with an 

 appeal to members of the association for membership in the Ameri- 

 can Forestry A.ssociation. All were urged to .ioin who had not 

 already done so. 



At the final afternoon session of the organization, on Friday, the 

 following trustees were elected for three years: 



N. IT. Waleott, rrovideuce, R, I: 



K. I!. Babcock, Pittsburgh. Pa.: 



K. M. Carrier. Sardis. Miss. : 



I-'. li. Kobertson. Memphis. Tenn. : 



11. (). A^ler. Chicago, III. ; 



.1. Itandall Williams. I'hiladelphia. Pa.: 



T. M. liriuvn. Louisville. Ky. 



Following the adjournment, the board of trustees held a meeting, 

 and agreeable to the expressed wish of the association. Nelson H. 

 Waleott of Providence was elected president; Gordon C. Edwards 

 of Ottawa was elected first vice-president; W. W. Knight of 

 luiliauapolis, second vice-president; Henry Cajje was elected treas- 

 urer, and E. F. Perry was continued as secretary. 



The social feature of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' 

 Association convention found its usual expression in a banquet 

 held at the Chelsea hotel, on Friday evening, which brought out the 

 usual large attendance; in fact, the banquet hall was crowded to 



