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Indiana Hardwood Annual 



President C. H. Kraiiicr of tliu liiJisiiia Hardwood LunilK'rmen 's 

 Association opened the seventeenth annual convention of that organ- 

 ization at the Clavpool hotel. Indianapolis, on Thursday, January 20. 

 In spite of the sujiposed wane of lumbering in Indiana, the meeting 

 was notable for a new record in attendance. The gathering was 

 most enjoyable in every particular and conformed to the traditions 

 of this organization. 



President's Address 



Mr. Kramer's address fullows in part: 



The past year the hardwood trade has not been such that wc can feci 

 proud, old-tlmc precedents have proven fault}', price condlllons during 

 the year have been all but good toward the profit side of the ledger to 

 that which our luvestiuints should and rightfully ought to comm.ind. 

 With the closing of lOl.l and the openlog of this year, the general condi- 

 tions of our country. I believe, have been more favorable than for many 

 years : the railroads are realizing larger net earnings : bank clearings 

 are much belter : our commodities are commanding better prices ; con- 

 fldencc among the citizens generally Is very pronounced : the market 

 conditions for timber products have been much better than for many 

 years past, more speclDcally since 1907. Indications nov. seem that 

 we have a fairer and brighter outlook toward prosperity than any time 

 during this Interval. 



Let us hope that every individual will abolish price-cutting and will 

 ask and obtain a profit on all our product, then we may hope that the 

 lumber Industry will grow to a profitable basis, commensurate with Its 

 Importance. We should not place margin of profit to or beyond the point 

 that will draw substitution, as that would bring reaction and would be 

 most disastrous to our industry. 



Most of you arc more or less familiar with the history of this associ- 

 ation, how it was formed seventeen years ago by only a handtul of 

 lumbermen, down In the old Grand hotel ; they felt the need of cooperat- 

 Ing. feeling It would be the means of clipping off some and finally ridding 

 most. If not all. of the many Irregularities and sharp practices then in 

 vogue. Some of the charter members are here today and are still very 

 enthusiastic in the welfare of the association (in fact have a super- 

 abundance of enthusiasm). 1 believe as long as there remains a spark of 

 association activity, the Indiana association will be on the list. 



Many lumbermen of Indiana for the past twenty or twenty-flvc years 

 have gone out of the state to other sections of the United States to find 

 a more heavy stumpago. thinking that It was a question of only a very 

 short while until very little, if any. timber suitable for manufacturing 

 purposes in a commercial way. should be remaining. Much to their 

 surprise. Indiana is today marketing to all parts of consumption of hard- 

 woods for domestic purposes and considerable we find is even going export 

 during this war period. We arc mindful, and .vou have experienced that 

 In years past, much timber has remained in the woods of not sulBclcnt 

 value to carry Its expense to the mill to be manufactured. Therefore, it 

 was left to rot If the owner coi:ld not dispose of It for fuel purposes. 

 Even today, with all the economical conditions and with the common 

 carriers demanding that all articles shipped nr • ' - r-— .i..,i ..,■ ntmost 



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solidly boxed, which gives some outlet for the clpn].. i wmd at possibly 

 little over cost of production, there yet remains In the forest sonic tlmt>cr 

 of not sulllcient value to cover teaming, freight and manufacture. 



I should like if some plan or method could be worked out with our 

 government authorities whereby wc could exercise functions which arc 

 legal and proper, that Information might be collected and published to 

 curtail production, when an overproduction exists, and that prices current 

 may be published. 



We know Indiana as the mother of national timber ; she has given 

 Ave of her honored sons and loaned another, and now, we are gratlOed to 

 sec the searchlights are on us again, not (or one son only. Iiul the loan 

 of another son is wanted ; one to guide the ship of tlie National Wholesale 

 Lumber Deal,;rs' Association, the other, that of the National Ilanlwood 

 I.umbiT Association. I refer to W. W. Knight and .lohn M. Woods. 

 I hope you will take action and endors<> them for this honor. 



To our members and guests. «<• have called you here, back home a* It 

 were, as ouc grand family, to break bread with us. to renew old ne<|uaint- 

 nnccs, to recite reminiscences, to forget our troubles and to be a friend to 

 men, to enjoy a day of fellowship. 



Secretary Edgar Richardson reported briefly on the activities of the 

 association for the past year, stating that several firms have sold out, 

 two members have been called by death during the past year, and 

 that for other reasons it has been necessary to drop nine others. 



He presented a list of sixteen applicants for meiiiliership. He said 

 that there are a number of others who signified their intention to be 

 in attendance and that he expected to get their signatures before they 

 left Indianapolis. 



Owing to the illness of the treasurer, .Tames Buckley, this report 

 was passed. 



The reports were duly adopted. 



Report of Forestry Committee 



W. A. Guthrie, nf liiilianaiKilis, eliairinan of the committee on for- 

 e.stry, read the report of that committee, which follows in part; 



The Sf.ite Forestry Hoard has been experimenting with a great many 

 trees, and trying to demonstrate to the land owners Just what kind to 

 grow, and how to grow them. Our technical man on the board. Dr. 

 Stanley Coulter, the dean of Purdue University, has prepared a pamphlet 

 giving th.-! details and showing Just what kind of trees do the best, and 

 how they should be cared for. 



In lOl-'i we had some money appropriated for the erection of a building 

 on the state fair grounds. A great many people visitc<l this exhil>it in 

 that building. Strange to say. many of the people who came to see this 

 exhibit did not know that we had s;i:li woods in tlie state of Indiana. 

 The board now has almost two hundrei: different varieties of woods. 



There is one matter about which I think there should be more care. 

 Many lumbermen go into a forest and take out the larger trees for com- 

 mercial use. which Is all right, but they don't seem to realize clearly 

 that the smaller sizes of the tref* will In tim.- irimv Into I.Trcir trees. 



