14 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



vidual need not be exempt from taxation but taxation should be de- 

 ferred until the timber crop is ready for the axe. Naturally an 

 annual tax presupposes an annual return to the owner from the prop- 

 erty taxed— a return either in money or in use. If the crop is forty 

 years in maturing it clearly should not be taxed every year on the 

 same basis as other property. 



This is one of the great problems to be considered in connection 

 with the perpetuation of our waning timber supply. It is an im- 

 portant question in economic equity. 



The Handle Meeting. 



One of the important lacticms taken at the recent meeting of 

 the Handle Manufacturers' Association of America, in Indianapolis, 

 was the decision that it would be wise for the several vice presi- 

 dents — representing the ash, maple and hickory branches — to have 

 power to call meetings of their own divisions at any time that seemed 

 expedient, and at any place which might be selected by them. 



This action was due largely to the impression that still seems to 

 be lurking in the minds of a great many ash and maple men — that 

 the association is going to be "controlled" by somebody, or some 

 faction, and that any legislation they may wish to see put through 

 won't even be given a hearing, because of the predominance of 

 other and quite different iitterests. 



This idea that any one division can, or will even attempt to, 

 dominate is utterly erroneous, and it seems strange that any handle 

 manufacturer can be so short-sighted as to think a hickory man, for 

 instance, would have any desire to "boss" or interfere in busi- 

 ness w-hich pertains peculiarly to the conduct of maple broom han- 

 dle manufacture, or the making of " D " handles from ash, per- 

 haps — two entirely distinct branches of the trade, in which he has no 

 interest and often no knowledge. 



This idea of "getting control" is totally foreign to all fraternal 

 spirit, and, when present in any alliance, only tends to destroy and 

 defeat the very objects for which it was formed. The original pur- 

 pose of the handle association was to gather together as many as pos- 

 sible from each line of trade, and form each branch into an or- 

 ganization, with its own presiding oflScer, who should bear the 

 title of viae president of the general association, but who should have 

 the full power of executive in his own body. How the idea that 

 any one faction would eventually dominate, or would have any desire 

 to do so, ever came about, is a mystery, unless possibly from the 

 fact that the presiding officer of the general association was elected 

 from the ranks of the hickory men, and that the latter turn out in 

 much larger numbers than do any of the other divisions — due solely 

 to the fact that they have been organized before, and appreciate 

 more fulh- the value of association work, hence are more ready to 

 respond to a call for support and cooperation. 



Inasmuch as these erroneous impressions have been passed about, 

 however, it was deemed wise to empower each oflScer to call a meet- 

 ing of his own division at any time and place he deemed advisable, 

 and it is hoped that he will eventually be able to make his confreres 

 understand that the association will help them, and that a maple man 

 or an ash man wUl have as full power therein, as though there wasn't 

 a hickory man on earth! 



The general assembly of all divisions can then be held semi- 

 annually. In order to do away with any further misunderstand- 

 ings, it may be wise to amend the present constitution so that rhe 

 presiding officer shall be known only as the ' ' chairman ' ' ; and that 

 he be chosen from each division alternately — the head of the sub- 

 divisions to be known as the "president" of each. Even in hold- 

 ing joint meetings the idea has always been that immediately upon 

 assembling and roll call the three divisions should go into separate 

 sessions, only meeting together again at the close of the day, when 

 the action taken by each, in the meantime, should be read by the 

 secretary, and promptly ratified by the other two divisions n-ithout 

 question or dissension! 



The various speeches made by President Clendinen at Indian- 

 apolis, as recorded elsewhere in the Record, particularly those during 

 the afternoon session, cannot faU to convey the right idea of his at- 

 titude and those of other members toward their associates in the or- 



ganization. Consolidation in this instance is merely a matter of 

 form. Kach division must work out its own problems — legislate its 

 own measures. Not only does the ash man A?ioic nothing about what 

 is best for the hickory trade, or the maple trade, but he does not 

 want to be bothered with their troubles! He wants to carry his 

 own into his own association and settle them there. 



However, consolidation in any trade, though its interests may 

 be many and diverse, never fails to give dignity to an industry, 

 and weight to any measures adopted by a sufficient number of high- 

 class representatives of it. Hence it is that in railroad or other 

 matters which may come up, a shipper stands a far better chance 

 of getting his rights if "The Handle Manufacturers of America" 

 stand behind him, than as though a couple dozen men in the ash 

 trade, or fifty in the hickory, offered their support. 



Oak Flooring People to Organize. 



.-\s will \>r noted at the head of the editorial cohiniiis of this issue 

 of the Record a meeting of the oak flooring manufacturers of the 

 country has been called at the Grand Hotel, Cincinnati, for Friday, 

 Feb. 7. The object of the proposed organization is to get different 

 manufacturers who are making oak flooring and shipping it in car- 

 load lots together, and establish uniformity in the way of grades, 

 widths, sizes and lengths, i. e., establish standards. It is also pro- 

 posed that a joint advertising policj' be mapped out that the 

 purchasing public may be more thoroughly educated up to the good 

 qualities of oak flooring. It is thought a decided impetus can be 

 given to the business which will be shared in by all engaged in the 

 trade. It is not the intention to in any way establish or attempt to 

 control prices. Without doubt the oak flooring people can put a 

 movement on foot at this time that will be far reaching and re- 

 dound to their material advantage. 



Lumber Association Meetings. 



The most important association conference of the next few days 

 — the annual meeting of the Hardwood Manufacturers' Association 

 of the United States — will be held at the Grand Hotel, Cincinnati, 

 on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 6 and 7. Full plans of this meeting 

 are recounted in the news section of this issue of the Record. 

 It is expected that this will be the largest and most enthusiastic 

 meeting that has ever been held by this organization. 



A special meeting of the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' 

 Association will be held at the East Saginaw Club, Saginaw, Mich., 

 at 2 p. m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, as noted at the head of editorial 

 columns. A feature of the meeting will be an address on forestry 

 by Hon. Arthur Hill of Saginaw, one of the best posted men on 

 this subject in the country. Complete comparative statistics of the 

 hardwood situation in Michigan will be presented by the secretary. 

 It is a feature that will be of unusual interest to all manufacturers. 

 It is believed that owing to the general market conditions and the 

 necessity for prompt and uniform action, the meeting will call out 

 nearly the total membership, which represents fully ninety per cent 

 of the hardwood output of Michigan. 



Labor and Weather Conditions in the North. 



Woods labor for the first time in several years is very plentiful in 

 the north country. The lumberjack "hobo" has at last been 

 pretty nearly- driven out of the woods, which is a good thing for 

 the high-class competent labor of that section, as well as for the 

 loggers. Restriction of output is prevailing to a marked degree 

 in both Michigan and Wisconsin. Again, weather conditions pre- 

 vailing have made it practically impossible to carry on very exten- 

 sive snow logging thus far in either of the states named. The 

 winter has been unseasonably mild. What logging has been done 

 has been accomplished through constant road patching. The nights 

 have not been cold enough so that recourse could be had to 

 sprinklers, and in many cases snow has had to be hauled to patch 

 up the sleighing. If this weather continues it will not be possible 

 to produce more than twenty-five per cent of normal log output in 

 the hardwood sections of the North. 



