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National Hardwood Annual 



The fifteenth annual convention of the National Hardwood Lum- 

 ber Association was held at the Hotel Sherman, Chicago, on June 

 6 and 7, and brought out the largest attendance of any meeting 

 of the association that has ever been held. The Chicago weather 

 man was particularly kind to the visiting lumbermen, as the 

 weather was delightfully cool and ideal. 



The Lumbermen's Association of Chicago acted as host and was 

 praised by the association for the splendid manner in which it 

 fulfilled its self-imposed task. Every detail of entertainment for 

 both the delegates and visit- 

 ing ladies was not only lavish, 

 but alluring, and if any visitor 

 did not have a good time at 

 the meeting it certainly was 

 his own fault. 



The first meeting was called 

 to order at 10:30 a. m. in the 

 big convention hall of the 

 Hotel Sherm.'in on Thursday, 

 President Fred A. Diggins pre- 

 siding. 



The president introduced 

 H.on. Lawrence E. McGann, 

 commissioner of public works 

 of Chicago, who represented 

 his honor. Mayor Carter H. 

 Harrison, and delivered an 

 able address of welcome. 



Following, Frederick L. 

 Brown, president of the Lum- 

 bermen's Association of Chi- 

 cago, was introduced and wel- 

 comed the guests on behalf of 

 his organization in one of 

 his timely and well-chosen 

 speeches. 



In response, Hon. John M. 

 "Woods of Somerville, Mass., 

 was introduced and made a 

 humorous speech of apprecia- 

 tion, which was much ap- 

 plauded. 



Thereafter was presented 

 the address of President Dig- 

 gins as follows: 



President's Address 



Gentlemen of the Naliuuiil 

 Hardwood Lumber Association : 

 That the National Hardwood Lum- 

 ber Association has the largest 

 direct and active membership of 

 :iu.v lumber association in the 

 world, and that with one excep- 

 tion, it is the oldest national lum- 

 ber association in this country, are matters of common knowledge among 

 those who are interested in the hardwood trade, but I do not think any 

 harm can come from a reiteration of this statement, and it may result in 

 giving us a better standing with our hosts. 



In connection with that. I wish to make another statement to the 

 *ffect that this, our fltteentb annual convention, is attended by the largest 

 number of men interested in the hardwood lumber industry that was ever 

 present at a meeting of any lumber association in this country at any 

 time or place. 



I wish to congratulate the members of the Chicago Lumbermen's Asso- 

 ciation, and our local members, who have done such efBcient work, upon 

 the assured success of this meeting from the standpoint of attendance. 

 They are entitled to our congratulations and sincere thanks, for they 

 have done their work well. 



This is a remarkable meeting, not only because of its size, but because 

 the members present represent every element of our great industry. 



CHARLES H. BARN.VBY. GREENCASTLE. IXLi.. NEWLY ELECTED I'KESI 

 DENT OP THE NATIONAL HARDWOOD LUMBER ASSOCIATION. 



The members who are purely manufacturers are here in large numbers : 

 the members who manufacture, and in addition to selling their own 

 output, buy and sell other lumber, are here : the members who do not 

 manufacture any lumber at all, but who buy and sell quantities of it, and 

 are purely wholesalers, are here, as well as the members who consume 

 a portion of their output or purchases, in their factories, and sell the 

 balance of it. All of these that I have enumerated are properly classed 

 as manufacturers or wholesalers, and are eligible to membership. 



Although this association was incorporated under the laws of this 

 state more than eleven years ago, it was not intended that it should ever 

 make money for anybody, and no certiflcates of stock were ever issued. 



We are not here as stockholders 

 in a profit-sharing or dividend- 

 paying corporation, hoping tiiat 

 by wiser legislation or abler ad- 

 ministration, we may increase our 

 earnings, because contrary to 

 usual present day efforts, we do 

 not expect or even desire to earn 

 ;iuything except the entire confi- 

 dence, good will and cordial sup- 

 port of the trade. We will not 

 flircuss or have anything what- 

 ever to do with the amount of 

 any kind of lumber that shal^ be 

 produced in any locality : with 

 the amount or kind that shall be 

 ~r.kl in any territory ; with the 

 form or conditions of any contract 

 providing for the sale or purchase 

 "f any kind or quantity of lum- 

 lier; and finally, nothing to say 

 or do concerning the price or 

 rcrras of sale. 



The law of supply and demand 

 will always establish the price at 

 which a thousand feet of firsts 

 and seconds, number one. two or 

 I liree common, may be sold, and 

 I'ur only function is to say what 

 shall constitute a thousand feet 

 cif firsts and seconds, number one, 

 two or three common, in the ex- 

 changes between producer and 

 wholesaler, or consumer. We 

 should do this with a full reali- 

 zation of the fact that the real 

 intrinsic worth of the lumber, 

 :ind not our classification of it. 

 will eventually determine the 

 value of any grade we may de- 

 scribe, and that if we raise or 

 lower an existing standard, a 

 .-.u-responding increase or decline 

 in price must naturally follow 

 such legislation, 



.\t least this is my theory, and 

 1 believe that it is the one ac- 

 cepted by a large majority of the 

 trade. There are undoubtedly 

 some consumers who imagine that 

 if different inspection rules were 

 adopted, it might be possible for 

 them to get a better grade of 

 lumber at the same price : and 

 possibly there are some producers who imagine that the rules could 

 be changed so that they might obtain the same price for a poorer 

 grade of lumber, but I do not believe that either of these theories is 

 based on sound reasoning, or that many lumbermen expect a result that 

 would be equivalent to lifting one's self over a fence by tugging at his 

 boot straps. 



There have been so many requests for amendments to our rules filed 

 this year that I wonder whether or not it is possible that the spirit of 

 agitation and unrest that permeates the politics of today has not invaded 

 the industrial world as well, and if some of our members may not have 

 been unconsciously influenced by it. At all events, we appear to have 

 some members, none of whom are present, who believe that we should 

 change some rules in order that we may be regarded as progressive, a 

 term, by the way, that is more frequently a misnomer than otherwise 

 when applied to certain acts and policies bearing that label. 



We also have some absent members who would not change the phrase- 



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