12 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



strengthen the machinery of assoeiatiou affairs, in absolute disre- 

 gard of their own personal interests. 



For this sacrifice to the general good they receive the "glad 

 hand" of their fellows in the trade, encomiums without number, and 

 have their pictures printed in the lumber newspapers. Particularly 

 arduous is the work of the president of these great associations. He 

 is practically the business manager of the entire body; he takes 

 upon himself the trials, troubles and tribulations of hundreds of his 

 fellows and through acumen, diplomacy and hard work straightens 

 out their affairs and helps them on to the ultimate scheme of money 

 making. 



All of the larger associations, whether it be in the hardwood or 

 the building woods trades, are made u]) of men of means who 

 ordinarily are earning a considerable sum of money annually out of 

 their business. There is no one thing that has contributed more 

 largely to this success than association work. It would seem not only 

 logical but just that when a body of business men ask an individual 

 to sacrifice his time and interests for their general good, it should 

 at least partially recompense him for it. A man cannot successfully 

 carry on the management of a large lumber association without de- 

 voting fully half his time to it. Ordiuarily he is a high-class man 

 who, were he utterly without means, could go out in iiis line of trade 

 and command a very handsome salary. Why do these associations 

 not pay their presidents a salai-y of at least $5,000 a year? This 

 would only be fair, and would but l^alf repay the average man on 

 whom this office is bestowed. 



Hardwood Record Advertisers. 



Almost daily the IIardv.oui) Kecord receives inquiries for informa- 

 tion as to the character of sundry concerns who carry advertisements 

 in its columns, in which they advertise lumber for sale, or for items 

 of stock they desire to purchase. These inquirers generally do not 

 contemplate receiving what is known as a commercial statement, 

 such as is covered by the lumber agencies, but the query oftenest 

 made is "Will this house treat us fairly and is it a concern with 

 which it is safe to do. business f" 



These inquiries are induced generally by the knowledge that the 

 editor of the Hardwood Record is personally acquainted with the 

 majority of concerns whose advertisements appear in its columns; 

 knows generally of their business methods; of their antecedents, and 

 commercial history. Invariably these inquiries are answered with 

 the absolute facts in the case. 



Primarily, this publication does not presume to conduct a com- 

 mercial agency, but it always affords the editor great pleasure to be 

 able to assist various mcmbei-s of the trade who do business on just 

 lines, to establish commercial relations. Every client is invited to 

 make these inquiries with a thorough understanding that he will 

 receive confidential and accurate information concerning the majority 

 of the concerns he inquires about. 



The Hardwood Kecobd desires to say this concerning its adver- 

 tising clientage, however: No advertiser is admitted to its columns 

 unless it is clearly established that the concern has a reputation for 

 doing business on just and equitable lines. It refuses to give place 

 to the advertisement of any concern of questionable integrity, and 

 therefore both buyers and .sellers may consider, without further ques- 

 tioning, that any institution found represented in these columns has a 

 reputation for doing business on the level. It is doubtful if there 

 is any other lumber publication in the land that carries a list of 

 such high-class, responsible and representative business houses as are 

 embraced within the advertising pages of the Hardwood Eecokd. 



Hardwood Lumber Export Company. 



There ii ;i It-nlaUw .ili.il ..ri Im.t tu bring aliuiil the organization 

 of a company to bo made up of the principal hardwood exporters of 

 the United States for the taking over of the hardwood export busi- 

 ness now controlled by individual concerns. It is tliowglil that the 

 handling of this great busincs-M, which now involves about .^.j, 000,000 

 annuallv, could Ijc acc(pni|iliMlicd on a much more economical and profit- 

 able basis if the majority of the busincsH was put thro\igh one great 

 kouHe. The economy in neliing would be manifest and the ability of 

 such a company to co^8cr^•c its market would be equally so. It is thought 



that the foreign users of American woods would be much gratified 

 to have such a company organized to handle this business. The plans 

 are still in embryo, but in the opinion of the Hardwood Recobu 

 such an organization could accomplish a great deal of good to the 

 trade, besides making much more money for both the home manu- 

 facturers and foreign dealers than is now realized. g 



The Chicago Hardwood Lumber Exchange. 



The C'hicatjii llnrdwooil Lumber K.\charige held its annual meetinj; 

 on Saturday, March 17, a full account of which appears in this 

 issue of the Record. This organization comprises in its membership 

 a large majority of the local hardwood jobbing houses, as well as a 

 good jnany non-resident members who sell a large portion of their 

 lumber in Chicago and vicinity. 



This exchange was organized ten years ago, at a time when it was 

 sadly needed. Hardwood commercial morals at that time had fallen 

 to a very low ebb, and the reputation of the Chicago trade had 

 become so bad that there was a general hesitancy against attempting 

 to do business here, owing to the unfair methods in practice. Evi i 

 concerns of high .standing were shunned by the manufacturing trad. 

 owing to the general reputation of the Chicago market. The organi- 

 zation of an exchange was perfected, and the fir.st thing set about 

 n-as clarifying the commercial atmosphere in hardwood transactions. 

 To a man the members of the exchange repudiated irregular busi 

 ness methods, whether coming from manufacturers shipping lunil" 

 into this market or from members of the local trade. It was a long 

 and liard fight, but the organization has achieved success. The morals 

 of the hardwood trade of Chicago at this time are above suspicion 

 The exchange has made honorable dealing a watchword, and tliei. 

 is no hardwood market in the country today that stands any higlui 

 in appreciation throughout producing and buying sections than di" - 

 this one. 



It often happens that the executive officers of an association an 

 reelected to successive terms, but it surely is a distinct complimeni 

 when a body of business men reelects not only its officers but 1 1 - 

 entire board of directors to a second term. This is what took phi. . 

 at the recent annual meeting of the Chicago exchange, and it evi- 

 dences the comjilete satisfaction of the local hardwood trade with 

 the way its affairs have been conducted during the past year. 



Hickory Reforestation. 



In the -Mail Jiag department of this issue of the IIakuvvood ReCoi:;- 

 is a letter from the chief of the Forest Service of the United Stai. 

 Department of Agriculture suggesting that this department of ih. 

 government is willing to take up an elaborate experimental test in 

 growing hickory if it can secure, without cost, suitable ground t'. ' 

 making the test. This communication should interest a good maii. 

 lumbermen, and the editor of the H.vedwood Record will be glad tu 

 receive tenders from lumbermen who own denuded or semi-denuded 

 lands suitable for hickory growth, which they would be willing to turn 

 over to the government for the purpose named. 



The Forest Service has already undertaken a study of the present 

 supply and distribution of hickory, and a study of the uses of hickory 

 in wliich it cannot well be substituted by other woods. The proposed 

 test in growing hickory is a matter of vast importance, not only to 

 himbcrmen but to consumers of hickory, and it is logical to believe 

 that it is only necessary to call the attention of the trade to the 

 proposal of the Forest Service to secure all the land needed for this 

 experiment. 



Hardwood Log Shortage. 



Reports from the northern hiudwood cuiiliy indicate that th. i 

 has been hardly any sleighing this winter, and in the highest favored 

 sections there has been less than thirty days of good roads for log 

 hauling. A great many concerns which depend on getting in logs by 

 sleigh have been disappointed, and have reduced their cut to tlv 

 minimum. Such logs as have been gotten out will probably be dcli 

 ercd to the several mills, but at much higher cost than was antiii 

 [latcd. Wliih' there has been as nnu'h as four feet of snow in some 

 part.s of the luirthcrn peninsula of Michigan, the weather has been 

 so warm tliat it lias been impos.sibU' tn make roails hard enough for 

 good work. 



