HARDWOOD RECORD 



33 



salient features of existing laws. A committee of the association 

 has made strong efforts to impress ujjon the federal government 

 the necessity of a court of patent appeals which would be a court 

 of last resort in patent matters. The speaker said that President 

 Taft favors giving patent cases to the Court of Commerce. 



The attorney's report also was read by Mr. More. It detailed 

 the work of the department for the last year in a large number 

 of cases. The burdens imposed upon corporations by exactions of 

 federal laws were set forth in convincing way, also the onerous 

 requirements of state laws. On the subject of taxation the report 

 described new and novel forms in force in several states, notably 

 Arkansas, where interstate commerce is burdened to death. Cases 

 pendiug in that state in behalf of members of the association 

 are based upon the unjustness and illegality of the levies. 



Warranty and breach of contract was given considerable atten- 

 tion as being a matter of great importance. The attitude of state 

 courts toward out-of-state corporations and the efforts of litigation 

 organizations to bring about ameliorating changes in existing forms 

 of procedure were set forth. 



The employers' liability law was given some attention in the 

 report, its varying phases in the different states being discussed at 

 some length. The right of the federal government to pass a law 

 which shall control state laws bearing upon this matter was con- 

 ceded. The report stated that bulk sales laws — fly-by-night con- 

 veniences — have been passed by forty-three states. These laws, 

 it was stated, permit of a clean-up by any dealer who might be in 

 financial straits, and facilitate a sudden departure for fields 

 afresh and pastures new. 



William Butterworth of Moline, 111., spoke for the Committee on 

 Attorneys and Litigation. His first point was the burden imposed 

 upon members of the association by the federal inventory law 

 which compels the taking of stock in January of each year. The 

 time is disadvantageous, as in that month much of their business 

 is hurried. Members should appeal to their congressmen, the 

 speaker said, to work for a repeal of the law. Regarding warranty 

 on contract, Mr. Butterworth advocated the establishing of a 

 propel surety. 



On the subject of employers' liability insurance, the speaker ap- 

 proved of company insurance for the benefit of employes. He 

 stated that his own concern, Deere & Co., Moline, 111., had co-oper- 

 ated with its employes and established a fund which jirovided sick, 

 accident and death benefits at a cost of fifty cents a month to em- 

 ployer and employe. 



The Committee on Costs was represented by G. W. Crampton, its 

 chairman. He said, in substance, that the progress of manufac- 

 ture of implements from its primitive state to the present had 

 necessitated, as time went by, more careful cost accounting to keep 

 pace with its development. Many failures have been directly 

 attributable to lack of knowledge of costs, and it has been shown 

 by financial authorities that incompetency and ignorance of proper 

 methods have been responsible for many downfalls in business. 

 The report dealt very ably with such items of cost as waste, labor, 

 interest, etc. 



The Committee on Dealers' Associations and Arbitration, through 

 its chairman, W. S. Thomas of Springfield, O., reported that there 

 had been no complaints during the last year, and that the amicable 

 relations existing among the trade have solved many difficulties 

 and made easy the duties of the committee. Much good has been 

 accomplished through the retailer, who helps the farmer, which 

 has contributed in large measure to the prosperity and happiness 

 of the association and of the country. Mail order houses, he said, 

 have put forth strenuous efforts to win the trade of the farmers 

 but have not met with the success that their seductive induce- 

 ments would seem to have enabled them to achieve. Prison-made 

 goods were strongly condemned. The speaker told of an organiza- 

 tion that had been formed by unscrupulous manufacturers to elim- 

 inate the middleman. Close co-operation between factory and 

 dealer, he said, is essential to the success of both. Present 

 methods of implement selling are on trial. 



For the Committee on Insurance, H. M. Kinney of Winona, 



Minn., reviewed the methods employed in factories for prevention 

 of fires, the enormous fire waste of the country through careless- 

 ness and the lack of proper means of prevention. He told of 

 measures being forwarded to bring about improved conditions. 



.J. A. Craig of .Janesville, Wis., chairman of the Committee on 

 Terms and Credits, said that the manufacture of implements and 

 vehicles is so varied that it is extremely difficult to arrange a 

 .fixed system, but that short term payments is a point upon which 

 all members of the association should unite. He advocated a credit 

 bureau for the exchange of information, which should be confi- 

 dential, and he enumerated the advantages to lie derived from 

 such bureau. 



The Committee on Indemnity Insurance was represented by C. S. 

 Brantinghani, chairman, who advised a close study of the subject 

 and promotion of legislation in the interest of prevention, which 

 should be fair and just, and co-operation among manufacturers to 

 that end. The association is represented in Wisconsin, Ohio and 

 Illinois, and advantageous bills have been passed in those states 

 without difficulty, although there is lack of unity on the subject 

 among the manufacturers of the Illinois capital. No ideal bill has 

 yet bten presented, the speaker said, and the new laws are ineffec- 

 tive. There seems to be no proper idea of fixed rates. A mutual 

 indemnity company he considered unwise for the present. Mutual 

 exchange of information among employes he advised as a means of 

 prevention of accidents. 



THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION 



The entire afternoon was taken up with an illustrated lecture on 

 "Accident Prevention," by F. C. Schwedtman, chairman of the 

 Committee on Industrial Indemnity Insurance. Mr. Schwedtman 

 told first how industrial pursuits are hampered by politics, and 

 demonstrated the necessity of organization for the protection of 

 business enterprises and industries. Prevention of accidents has 

 for a long time been a study of employers in this country and 

 abroad, but the European countries, Germany in particular, have 

 the start of America in what it has accomplished in this direction. 

 The speaker gave an outline of his personal investigations and 

 study of conditions in Europe as a member of a committee ap- 

 pointed for that purpose. American workers, he said, do not want 

 charity, they want justice. Good systems for safeguarding work- 

 men are needed in all the states. Mutual insurance, factory inspec- 

 tion, legal representation and co-operation among employers and 

 employes and associations are the means by which the desired end 

 may be attained. A national system of action and endeavor is to 

 be hoped for and should be worked for. 



The illustrations were thrown by a picture machine upon canvas 

 and were highly interesting and instructive, showing by diagrams 

 and figures the proportionate risk in each occupation, mortality 

 among workers and learned opinions upon the subject of industrial 

 accidents and methods of prevention. 



Following the lecture a number of business details were taken 

 care of and officers were elected for the coming year as follows: 



President — F. C. Johnson, Springfield, O., secretary American Seed- 

 ing Machine Company. 



First Vice-President— H. N. Wade, Batavia, 111., secretary U. S. 

 Wind Engine & Pump Company. 



Secretary and General Manager — E. W. MeCullough, Chicago, Na- 

 tional Implement & Vehicle Association. 



Treasurer— C. A. Pattison, Peoria, HI., president and secretary 

 Peoria Drill & Seeder Company. 



Chairman Executive Committee — Wm. Butterworth, Moline, 111., 

 Deere & Co. 



The next annual convention will be held at Detroit, Mich. 



According to the program the meeting was to have extended into 

 Friday, but everything went along so smoothly — business, enter- 

 tainment features and all — under the excellent management of the 

 Auxiliary and the Executive committees that the meeting was 

 brought to a successful conclusion Thursday evening. 



The annual banquet was held in the Gold Room of the Congress 

 hotel in the evening and was a most enjoyable and satisfactory 

 affair, replete with happy talks, amusing anecdotes and genuine 

 good fellowship. 



