HARDWOOD RECORD 



39 



make an understanding among men who are 

 representative business men of the Lnited States. 

 I Applause.] 



Mr. Burgess We will now hear from the presi 

 dent of the oppOSil ion. 



W. H. Russe Speaks. 



Mr. Kusse, president of the National Hard- 

 wood Lumber Association, then addressed the 

 audience as follows : 



I think the president of the Memphis Lumber- 

 men's Club should not have used that word "op- 

 position." [Applause.] When I listened to the 

 songs here, especially the one entitled "Dream- 

 ing," I did not want you members of the Manu- 

 facturers' Association to think you were dream- 

 ing. We of Memphis realize that you are Lum- 

 bermen, and that rovers the ground. I am only 

 too glad to welcome you here tonight, not as 

 president of the National association, but as a 

 member of the Memphis Lumbermen's Club, and 

 I hope thai you will all realize that we are 

 lumbermen ; that we are not one taction fighting 

 another, and I hope that the seeds sown here 

 tonight will hear fruit. I believe that the two 

 associations as far as inspection is concerned, 

 should get together. [Applause.] And l don't 

 see why they should not. If the lumbermen had 

 been left alone they would have been together 

 long ago. [Applause. J In one of the songs to- 

 night they said "Remember me." They should 

 have said "Remember us." We realized when 

 you came here in the stronghold, I might say. of 

 the National Hardwood Lumber Association that 

 we should recognize only one fact that you are 



brother lumber n, and we wanted to show you 



that we did not take into consideration whether 

 you think jusi as we do but that we are all one. 

 We as lumbermen should paddle our own canoe; 

 we should not allow anything to come between 

 us. I had a talk with Mr. Crane tonight — 

 and I want to come right down to a little busi- 

 ness. ] know it is not the proper place to bring 

 it forward, but I understood that you were con- 

 sidering today dividing on the half inch ; that 

 is. that you were going to divide, give and take. 

 I don't believe in that, i believe in measuring 

 pn the half inch; don't give anything and don't 

 take anything, hut let a man get what he pur- 

 chases. The man that is receiving for the buyer 

 will forget where the division comes in. Ho'n't 

 adopt that rule, but make it on the half inch. 

 Make your tallies 6, 'J 1 -, 7. 7 J /2. S, 8%, and then 

 don't forget the odd lengths. [Applause. J With 

 timber getting scarce, in trimming your lumber 

 why should you cut off two feet when there is 

 only six inches bad in the board? Cut off one 

 foot. There is not a single buyer in the furni- 

 ture trade or house furnishing trade but can use 

 odd lengths. Why should we throw that away? 

 Timber is getting too scarce. There is one thing 

 that I want to bring out. and that is that our 

 interests ore mutual. Everything that we adopt 

 should be on mutual ground. We should get to- 

 gether, and I can't see any reason why we should 

 not have on inspection rule that will govern this 

 country. [Applause.] Why should we imagine — ■ 

 and it is all imagination — that the Manufactur- 

 ers' Association is fighting the National, or the 

 National is fighting the Manufacturers' ? It is 

 all imagination, and there is no reason under 

 Cods sun why we should not get together. I 

 am only too glad that you came to Memphis to 

 hold your meeting. We have in our Lumbermen's 

 Club a vast majority belonging to the National 

 Association and not to your association; but we 

 realize that you are nil lumbermen, and that 

 means that we are brothers, and we want you 

 to understand that there is no fight between "the 

 National and the Manufacturers' Association. 

 I Applause.] 



I believe that a scheme can be brought about 

 by which we cau get together. [Applause.] The 

 National can have their organization, the Manu- 

 facturers' theirs: but we can get together on one 

 inspection rule, and I don't see why we don't. 



A Voice -Do it now. 



Mr. Ilusse, — We have paved the way. my 

 friend. We have shown that, regardless of 

 whether you are members of the Manufacturers' 

 Association or members of the National Asso- 

 ciation, we have gathered together here as lum- 

 ber n. We have paved the way. and I believe 



that with the talk we have had and the under- 

 standing that the leaders of your association 

 have, there is no reason why we should not get 

 together. Is there, Mr. Crane? 



Mr. Crane — None that T know of. 



Mi-. Kusse It is true that there has been an- 

 tagonism, because the Manufacturers' Association 

 will have to admit they were pari of t he Na- 

 tional up to the time of the St. Louis convention. 

 it is like a family quarrel a little bitter. We 

 can't overlook these little things. We are sus- 

 picious of each other. But why should we be? 

 Let us wipe it out. There is no reason why we 

 should not wipe.it out; there is no reason why 

 we should not all stand together. I hope and 

 pray that this meeting will bring about just what 

 it ought to bring about — universal inspection. 

 I Applause. | We .an bring it about. Inspection 

 is like law : it is like every bill that Congress 

 passes ; it is a matter of compromise. 



We don't, all think alike. There has never 

 been an inspection rule made yet that pleased 



everybody. There never will be one that pleases 

 everybody, but we can get together on a basis of 

 give and take as is done in making laws for the 

 government of this country. 



Now, let this he the foundation of getting 

 together. We can do it, and there is no reason 

 why we shouldn't. Let us wipe out the feeling 

 that we don't want to do it because we favor 

 certain ideas of association. I feel so strongly 

 about this, and I am so satisfied that if the lum- 

 bermen would get together and consult with each 

 Other, we would wonder why we were ever part. 

 I hope and pray that (his next year, when you 

 hold your meeting in Memphis again — and I 

 think you will do it that we will be one and 

 together. I don't want to bring in newspaper 

 talk. I may lie mistaken, but I have felt lor the 

 last three years that if the lumbermen bad been 

 It it alone there would have been no differences. 

 We want the newspapers and we Deed them, but 

 let us make our own tight. Let us get together 

 with our own differences. Lout let us have that 

 feeling that talk and editorials can keep us 

 apart, as no doubt, to my mind, has been the 

 case in some of our disagreements. I feel that, 

 whether you are a National man or a Manufac- 

 turers' manj we ate together and will he to- 

 gether if we simply take up and discuss the 

 questions with each other. 



I hope the members of the Manufacturers' 

 Association have enjoyed themselves, and as a 

 member of the Memphis Lumbermen's club I can 

 say that I am glad we have had the opportunity 

 oi showing to you that we want you here; that 

 we are pleased in have you with us and that we 

 want you again. [Applause.] 



Mr. Burgess — We will have a few remarks in 

 response to Mr. Russe's address by Mr. Wilms. 



Mr. Wilms — Gentlemen, it would be out of 

 place tonight to go into a detailed discussion of 

 the subjects that Mr. Russe has placed before 

 us. There is no doubt that our interest as lum- 

 bermen is a common one. There is no doubt that 

 on the principle of give and take and on the 

 principle of mutual understanding an amalga- 

 mation between the two factions which now rep- 

 resent the two largest hardwood organizations 

 in the United States could be brought about. I, 

 as presiding officer of the Hardwood Manufac- 

 turers' Association of the United States, feel that 

 it is my duty to thank Mr. Kusse for bis ex- 

 pressions and words of kindness. The point 

 which is the center of friction is grading rules 

 and could he harmonized, I think, by an amal- 

 gamation,, if I may call it that, of the lumber 

 interests of the hardwood trade of the country. 

 [Applause.] 



Reviewing the subject of grading rules, which 

 as you know has been the subject of divergence 

 among us, you will recall that in spite of the 

 \ei \ best efforts on both sides nothing was ac- 

 complished when committees were appointed to 

 represent both of our associations in pursuance 

 of an agreement that might have resulted in ■ 

 amalgamation. Our associai ion, representing 

 that part of the hardwood industry that derives 

 its profits from standing timber, has justly or 

 unjustly been accused of following a policy that 

 in its finality would be disastrous to 1 hose who 

 were not as fortunate as we are or some of our 

 members are, I might add, because all of our 

 members are not in possession of timber lands. 

 He that as it may, no success in any organization, 

 in any association, in any business that lias had 

 lor its principle cooperation on the part of those 

 interested in it was ever attained if personal in- 

 terest and personal viewpoints were given prefer 

 ence to the benefit of the unit represented in such 

 trades and organizations. I believe that all of 

 us, that all the members of our association feel 

 tonisrht that never in the history of our business 

 have we met with a reception equal to the one 

 we have met tonight. [Applause.] Whether it 

 he ascribed to the sense of hospitality or to the 

 sense of fraternity that should prevail among 

 lumbermen is immaterial ;ii this moment. If 

 during our deliberations tomorrow and in pre- 

 senting to the Lumbermen's Club of Memphis our 



vote of thanks we should come to tl onclusion 



that we were not brothers on the same plane, 

 we better had not come to Memphis. [Applause.] 

 If. on the other hand, any member of the Na- 

 tional Association should think that the hospi- 

 tality offered us tonight was not highly appre- 

 ciated and was not received in the same manner 

 in which it was tendered. 1 believe the other 

 members of the National Association should not 

 regard such a member worthy of retaining his 

 membership. [Applause.] 



Now, to sum up the situation. We are all lum- 

 bermen : each of us represents in a financial way 

 his business interests. What that means was 

 well expressed by fail Schurz. one of the great- 

 est men that the German nation ever sent to 

 i bis country. When asked what he considered 

 the most sensitive point in a man's makeup, he 

 said: ■'The most sensitive point of a man, of a 

 community, and even of a nation in its makeup 



centers in the pocketl \<" Now, gentlemen. 



that is in a manner the vital point upon which 

 we do not agree, and upon which we should 

 agree. This disagreement on our of the vital 

 points, hut primarily on personal questions, has 

 been the reason why we have not been aide to 

 get together. I don't believe that in an open 

 meeting like this we will ever he able to accom- 



plish anything. But I do believe that if the 

 National Association will appoint a committee 

 io meet a committee of our association on tin 1 

 basis of mutual understanding, and on the basis 

 of absolute fairness, the millennium of the hard- 

 wood lumber indust iy i an be attained. | Ap- 

 plause.] And if that can be made possible we 

 will have accomplished more than was ever 

 brought about by hospitality and meeting on a 

 common ground. We will have buried the past: 

 we will have buried small, inferior ideas that 

 should not interfere with our business, and n 



during I be t i t if my administration (which 



will end some time tomorrow) anything on the 

 part of the National Association can be pre 

 sented, I shall make a special effort to bring it 

 before our committees ami shall take pains i" 

 bring aboul the result that all of us desire. 



Gentlemen, I thank you again in in-half of 

 our association for your hospitality. We have 

 held meetings in a good many [daces, but never 

 in our history have we met a reception equal to 

 the reception we have had here. |Applause.] I 

 will now ask you t<> join me in three cheers for 

 Hi" future prosperity and the future welfare of 

 a town that: has long been recognized as the 

 center of the hardwood business of the world. 



CONVENTION NOTES. 



John B. Ransom of Nashville, president-elect 

 of the Ilardyvood Manufacturers' Association, 

 has occupied the position of vice president for 

 two years, and this year for the first time was 

 prevailed upon to accept the presidency. Mr. 

 Ransom is one of the foremost hardwood man- 

 ufacturers id" the Lniled Stales, and has achieved 

 distinguished success in his commercial enter- 

 prises. His range of experience is extremely 

 wide, as in addition to being a manufacturer of 

 many varieties of hardwood lumber, poplar and 

 oak "being the principal ones, he has for many 

 years operated planing mill enterprises, is asso- 

 ciated with several large hardwood distributing 

 nouses and is head of the great Nashville Hard 

 wood Flooring Company, producer of oak and 

 beech flooring. Mr. Hansom is a man of broad 

 and catholic commercial attainments, has a 

 reputation for sagacity and probity second Io 

 none in the trade, and will undoubtedly prove 

 a most excellent president for the Manufactur- 

 ers' association. 



W. A. Gilchrist of Memphis, elected to the 

 office of first vice president, although a compara- 

 tively young man. has had experience in lumber 

 man ma- luring pursuits since early boyhood, 

 espe. [ally in the state of Michigan, where he 

 was for 'many years associated with his father, 

 F. W. Gilchrist of Alpena. Today he is at the 

 head of the second largest Cottonwood manu 

 la. luring enterprise in the country— the Three 

 States Lumber Company of Memphis. Mr. Gil- 

 christ is a man of remarkable force and his 

 energy, backed by his enthusiasm for the tenets 

 of the Manufacturers' association, will make him 

 a very desirable officer. 



John H. Himmelberger of Morehouse, Mo.. 

 elected to the second vice presidency, is one of 

 the best known hardwood manufacturers of the 

 country and is at the head of the Ilimmelberger- 

 Harrison Lumber Company, the largest red gum 

 producing institution in the United States. Mr. 

 Hiinmelberger's characteristics of conservatism 

 and sagacity in the conduct of his own business 

 prove bis selection for this office a very wise 



one. 



C. M. Crawford, reelected to the office of 

 treasurer, is at the head of the great poplar 

 manufacturing house — the Yellow Poplar Lum 

 her Company of Coal Grove, u. Mr. Crawford 

 is a close student of hardwood affairs, and al- 

 though of a retiring and unostentatious dlsposl 

 tion, his counsel in association affairs will be 

 extremely valuable. 



The executive board held a hurried meeting 

 immediately after the conclusion of Wednesday's 

 session, atid the only business transacted wa 

 the reelection of Lewis Hosier as secretary 

 Mr. Hosier's record in Ibis position is so well 

 known as to scarcely need comment. His re 



election followed :i^ 8 mailer of course, as he is 

 undeniably the right man for this arduous posi- 

 tion. 



The badges used at t he convention were in 

 the similitude of a miniature map of the United 

 states, stamped out of bronze. Across the face 



,,] the map in gill appeared the name of the 

 association and on the back was inscribed "Fifth 

 \nnita!, Memphis. Tenn.. January 29-30, 1907. 

 The map was suspended by a chain to a swivel 

 catch, and now does duty as a wai.h fob for 

 many members. t , 



Xhe Gayoso hotel, the leading hostelry in 

 Memphis, did everything in its power to make 

 U,,. iav of ils guests at I he convention pleai 

 ant and while it was well filled witli ils regular 

 trade the management took special paius to 



accommodate the lumbermen, it further c 



plimented i'^ visitors by preparing a very beau- 

 tiful souvenir menu card for lb -vision. 



George I'. Burgess, president of the Memphis 

 Lumbermen's Club, Cm- hosl of the occasion, is 

 io i,e congratulated on his graceful handling of 

 i he smoker, over which he presided as too ! 

 master 



