HARDWOOD RECORD 



19 



Annual National Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Ass'n. 



The fifteenth annual meeting . ■ r' the N.i 

 tional Wholesale Lumber Dealers' \ssocia- 

 tion was called to order at 11 a. m. on 

 Wednesday, March 6, in bhe New Willard 

 Hotel, Washington, D. C. President Dill 

 occupied the chair, and E. P. Perry fulfilled 

 his duties as secretary. A large number of 

 members was in attendance. The annual 



LEWIS HILL OF BALTIMORE, RETIRING 

 PRESIDENT. 



1 ting of this organization is an event of 



no inconsiderable importance to the lumber 

 world, representing as it does such extensive 

 and diversified interests. It has accomplished 

 \iist good for the industry, and invariably 

 stands for progression, strength and commer- 

 cial integrity in the trade. 



After disposing of minor preliminaries 

 President Dill delivered his annual address, 

 as follows: 



Address of President. 



The passing of another year, the fifteenth in 

 the life of the association, has brought us again 

 to the nation's capital for the purpose of con 

 ference and action upon ihe many matters which 

 concern the great industry which we represent, 

 ami at the same time has imposed upon your 

 officers the duty of reporting their business pro- 

 ce dings for that period. 



With the continuing prosperity of the country 

 and the share in this prosperity which the lum- 

 ber trade is appropriating; with government 

 ownership of public service corporations and the 

 Head of public sentiment and of law-making in 

 relation to it ; with ship subsidies and like Oues- 

 1 ions of commanding importance, this report does 

 not deal, because we should approach all of 

 these public questions first as citizens of this 

 great nation before we do so as lumbermen, and 

 1 shall not assume to act as Instructor. I know 

 my limitations but it would take too long to tell 

 you about them. 



There are, however, many other ami equally 

 important questions which concern the individual 

 and the country and the right adjustment of 

 which will have much to do with the present 

 and future prosperity of all. Chief among these 

 are the issues involved in railroad transporta- 

 tion of both freight and passengers, forestry, for- 

 est reservations and public lands. No set of 

 men, however representative of section or how 

 ever well assorted for individual fitness, could be 

 assembled in convention wdio would be better 

 informed or who would have been more in touch 

 with these vital matters during the past decade, 

 and consequently better fitted from personal ex- 

 perience and observation, than the men here 

 today to rightfully pronounce judgment on these 

 questions and take their places as leaders in the 



settlement of them. By you it must be accepted 

 as a duty as well as a privilege to help solve 

 these problems in which you have a vital inter- 

 est because you are lumbermen four trustees 

 have given these particular matters their besl 

 and most tactful handling during the past year, 

 but now with three hundred men from thirty 

 stales present, together with a score of men 

 foremost in the commercial affairs of our sister 

 countrj Canada -to lend their aid. based on 

 experience with government usages different from 

 those on our side of the line, we should be able 

 to pronounce on these questions in such fashion 

 as to make our influence tell and bring us fol- 

 lowers from the other branches of commerce and 

 irad'' who would be willing to go where we go. 

 as long as our leadership is safe and sane. We 

 should also 1 tins pronounce in order that those 

 to whom the affairs of the association are com- 

 mitted our officers who will carry forward the 

 work of the association itself -may have no 

 reason to doubt our wishes and judgment in 



regard to them. This is important, as I" 



we will have met together agaiu,' twelve months 

 hence, a crisis may come, even a testing time 

 to flie government itself. 



Under the by-laws and in the wisdom of the 

 regulations provided for executing the plans 

 evolved on these occasions by the members, and 

 during the year by the trustees, it remains in 

 large "measure the work of the various standing 

 committees to investigate and direct the several 

 agencies and departments. These committees 

 will advise you with all necessary detail regard- 

 ing their work ami you are urged to give 

 careful attention to the reading of the reports 

 and. following the presentation of each, to ask 

 any information or offer any criticism or sug- 

 gestion that the result of the discussion and 

 ci nsideration of these principal features may 

 be a broader view and better understanding of 

 how to proceed in the future. 



The car stak ptipment complaint is still 



pending. The initiative in this contention was 

 taken by our association and it has been eon 



spieuous in ihe prosecution of it. because s e 



of the officers and a number of the members 

 were chosen by the allied associations to assist 

 in the work. A half-dozen or more conferences 

 have been held with a view of hastening an 

 adjustment, and the Interstate Commerce 1 '0111 

 mission has given two hearings previous to the 

 .lie now -oiim en. and the end is not yet. The 



justness 01 ■ claim and the equity of the 



lumberman in it was never so apparent as it is 



FREDERK K 



W. COLE "I' NEW 

 TRE VSTJRER. 



VoliK 



at this time and it is confidently expected that 

 our cause will prevail. 



The delay in transportation of loaded .al- 

 and Ihe Inadequate supply of empties for 

 loading, resulting as it has in a demand very 

 generally supported by' shippers, and by lum- 

 bermen in particular, for reciprocal demurrage, 

 is worthy of your most careful consideration. 

 and upon investigation if further inquiry is 

 needed will no doubt be found deserving of 

 your support and vigorous action. The principle 

 involved in the demand is one that may be 



endorsed by all of us, and leaves open only the 

 consideration of the manner "f proceeding to 

 enforce it. 



We plead not guilty to the charge of the 

 senator from South Dakota that we are a 

 lumber trust ami assume that we will not be 

 convicted without a hearing. If the distin- 

 guished legislator is basing his charge that there 

 is a lumber trust on I lie same authority and 

 figures which permit him to make his statement 

 concerning the cost of stumpage and manufac- 

 ture and of selling prices, and then by the 

 simple rules of addition and substraction fix 

 our margin at fi 1 thirty to one hundred dol- 

 lars tier thousand feet, then indeed it is not to 



E. I'. PERRY, iif NEW STORK, SECRETARY. 



he wondered at that he thundered at us from 

 his place in the Senate. For this association 

 we demur to the indictment, at the same time 

 wishing it were half true or true to half the 

 amount of the margins he charges against us. 



The general business of the association is 

 steadily- increasing and during the past year 

 lias been large. Many of the matters brought 

 to the attention of the trustees and officers 

 have been complicated and some of them dif 

 ficult of adjustment, but you may be assured 

 that in even instance careful and conscientious 

 study has been made of them and it has been 

 their aim to render justice to all — to accord to 

 every member of the association his full rights 

 and 'to treat each section fairly, if section were 

 involved. 



The present situation and prospects of the 

 association are in every particular gratifying. 

 the membership which was increased in the 

 previous year by net fifty-two, making it the 

 then highest number recorded, has been held 

 with a slight net gain over that figure, closing 

 Hi- year with a roll of 368. 



'The charges or dues were increased at the 

 last annual meeting but not without some mis 

 givings at the time as to the effect this action 

 would have upon numbers in membership, but 

 not a single member has been lost nor a protest 

 recorded against the increase. From this fact 

 alone it is fair to assume that the association, 

 with its management and results, is satisfying 

 the members and bringing such benefits as to 

 merit their loyal support. The increase in the 

 revenue from this source has permitted a policy 

 of aggressive ami prompt action to be adopted, 

 and by care in expenditures, permits a showing 

 for the first time in several years of a credit 

 balance of $1,000, after all bills are paid, and 

 this as against a deficit of between $3,000 and 

 S|. oho reported a year ago. 



'trade relations, or relations between the 

 several divisions of the trade, in so far as we 

 are in position to know them are profitable 

 and mutually satisfactory. Our policy con- 

 fines to be that of maintaining ihe close rela- 

 lions and friendships which have been estab- 

 lished between the several retail dealers' asso 

 ciations and our own. We must remember 

 always that we are wholesalers, pledged to trade 

 in fixed channels and under accepted ethics "i 

 these later limes. In pursuing this policy, which 

 involves protection and reciprocity, we find the 

 retailer willing in equal degree to return full 

 measure for what be received, and barring a 

 sin of omission and. perhaps an occasional sin 

 of commission on the part of either one or both 



