3C' 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



work. We have gladly opened up for their investigation all of our 

 methods for the last two years, whereby they could obtain the 

 information they so desire, and which opportunity was taken by 

 them. However! since the cluinj,'e of administration there has been 

 nothing heard of the matter; at the same time we are ready at 

 all times to still have our oliice open for investigation. 



The legality of our methods in the various departments of our 

 Work has been carefully studied, and it is not the intention of 

 this association to deviate from good business methods, or to offer 

 any opportunities for censure under the charge of "restraint of 

 trade," either in the way of iron-clad price agreements, or any 

 other matters that wpuld' tend to render the association liable in 

 damage suits or other actions at law, either by a local, state or 

 national government. 



National Lumber Manufacturers' Association 



'J his organization held its annual meeting for IHO'J in Seattle, 

 Wash., and none of the delegates appointed by President Carrier 

 to attend the same, i-epresenting our organization, were able to 

 be present at that time, owing to its being held in the far West. 

 However, we desire to report that the important matters affecting 

 our interests which were acted upon at that time were as follows: 



■•Resolutions adopting odd lengths as standard as well as even 

 lengths in dressed lumber." 



This action confirms tlie action taken by our organization which, 

 as you know, admits in all lumljer a certain per cent, of odd lengths, 

 as specified in each grade. Mr. Victor H. Beckman, of Seattle, is 

 in attendance at our convention and he w'ill no doubt discuss this 

 matter more fully at a later time during our sessions. 



The Board of Governors at that time also passed a resolution 

 providing for a new office of the organization to be created under 

 the style cf manager, and Mr. Leonard Bronson, of Chicago, has 

 l>een elected to fill such position. He is with us to-day and will 

 di.scuss matters pertaining to the organization during these sessions. 



We also have with us Mr. W. V. Biederman, superintendent of 

 the National Lumber ilanufacturers' Credit Corporation, which 

 publishes the Blue Book, and he will also talk to us at a later 

 time regarding the same, as well as the Collection Dejiartment 

 thereof. 



On motion, the president appointed a committee to report on 

 recommendations contained in the officers' reports, made up of 

 W. B. Townsend, A. B. Ransom and A. G. Fritchey. 



President Carrier then introduced George F. Craig, of Philadel- 

 phia, president of the Kational Wholesale Lumber Dealers' Asso- 

 ciation, vrho made a happy little address to the visitors and stated 

 that it had given him groat pleasure to be present. He compli- 

 mented the organization on its evidence of vigor and stated that 

 his association would be txtremely glad to become allied witli it. 



AFTERNOON SESSION, FEB. 1 



On' reconvening at 3 p. m. President Carrier opened the meet- 

 ing by introducing John W. Love, of Nashville, Tenn., who read 

 a heartfelt tribute to his departed friend, John B. Ransom, ex- 

 president of the. Hardwood Manufacturers' Association. Mr. 

 Trove's tribute was a splendid one to this great and honored mem- 

 ber of the association. He concluded his appreciation by offering 

 a resolution of respect to the memory of Mr. Ransom, which was 

 signed by every lumberman of Nashville, whieli he presented for 

 adoption. 



R. H. Vansant in seconding Mr. Love's motion added a splendid 

 tribute to the character of the deceased. 



The resolution was adopted. 



Mr. Love then made a motion that a suitable resolution bo drawn 

 up in memory of F. S. Hondrickson, an honored member recently 

 deceased. 



This motion prevailed. 



The president then introduced 0. B. Bannister, the well-known 

 wheel man of Muncie, Ind., who made an address on "Organiza- 

 iion,'' of which the principal jHirtion is reproduced below; 

 ORGANIZATION 



In this modern day when we speak of organizations, we are 

 apt to think that they are the product of some recent years, but 

 this is not so. The principle has been followed from the beginning 

 of the world. It is true that this principle has been much abused, 

 both in early and late history 



It is quite well established, I think, that the only reason why 

 the .Jewish people are forbidden by their laws to eat hog-meat, 

 is that when jloses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law of 

 fJod, that Aaron, his brother, brought up all the hogs and when 

 he refused to share the profits with Moses, Moses the lawmaker. 



promulgated a law forbidding his people to eat hog, and busted 

 Ihe triist: and strange as it may seem from that time on, many 

 (if the business and commercial interests of the world, have been 

 Inisy forming trusts, and the lawmakers just as busy trying to 

 bust them, and the end is not yet. 



My subject, however, is not trusts, but "organization." I am 

 quite well aware that many are unable to see any distinction, and 

 it is difllcult sometimes to tell wherein the difference e.'iists, as 

 many honestly conceived organizations have abused their power and 

 become obnoxious, selfish, overbearing trusts; but I am sure that 

 we will all be able to see the difference in principle at least, 

 between the inborn nature of man that was God given and that 

 makes him want to associate W'ith his fellow man for the good 

 of each other, and in obedience to the command for him to subdue 

 and have dominion over the earth for the benefit of the whole — 

 Yes! I say w-e ought to be able to distinguish between this principle 

 and the alrase of it — in the "hog meat scrap" that is credited 

 to Moses and Aaron. It might be a good thing right now for 

 us to have a Moses who could forbid the eating of meat for thirty 

 days. (I believe that this is the extent of the time of the present 

 proposed abstinence.) It certainly would be a clieaper boycott 

 than the one that is now being attempted. 



This great difference between trust and organization is certainly 

 clear to us, and it must also be quite as clear that the principle 

 of organization rightly applied is good; wrongfully applied is 

 bad. If this is true, then why all of this disturbance? 



Is it not because we are trying to correct the abuse of the 

 principle in the wrong way? 



There is an old saw, "Competition is the life of trade." Let us 

 see what i.s this thing "Competition" that is the life of trade. 

 If it is the trade's life, we ought to be able to compare it with 

 the blood of a healthy man — that which flows through his veins, 

 brings color to his cheek; that which makes him step quick; that 

 which makes him stand erect, his eye to sparkle, and his tongue 

 to say: "1 am glad I am alive." This is life, and life worth 

 living; and of course if competition is the life of trade, it must 

 be lliat something that will develop the body "trade," and make 

 it strong, give it life, build it up, and make it a means of profit 

 to everyone engaged in it, and when I use the term "everyone," 

 I do not mean the employer only, I mean everyone, employer and 

 employee. This thing that is the life of trade must give life to 

 everyone dependent upon it. The child of a section hand on the 

 railroad is entitled to comfortable clothing and good schooling 

 quite as much as the child of the president of the road, and if 

 competition will give trade this kind of life, then by all means 

 let us have competition. But is this the case? 



My dictionary tells me that competition means "common strife 

 for the same object;" and it also tells me that strife means, "Alter- 

 cation, violent contentions, fight, battle." 



Now suppose we were to change this old saw to read: "Competi- 

 tion, that is common strife for the same object, altercations, violent 

 contentions, fights, battles, is the life of trade. This is really 

 what it means, except that I think we could change one more 

 word, which would show the result. Let us do it, and make it 

 read as it really is: "Competition, that is common strife for the 

 same object, altercation, violent contentions, fight, battle, is the 

 death of trade." 



Do you say, "How the death?" 



Jones is in the manufacture of stockings. He has a nice plant, 

 pays his help well, makes money. 



Smith who lives in the same town says. "That man Jones 

 has a snap. I guess I will go into the stocking business myself," 

 and he does so. He goes to the same people that Jones has been 

 selling and reduces the price that Jones has been making 10 per 

 cent. The buyer rubs his hands in glee, and says "Ah ! that is 

 good." Competition is the life of trade. 



Jones has a good plant, has been buying his wool direct from the 

 farTuer, and paying his help good wages. The buyer, who is never 

 satisfied, tells him he is buying from Smith at 10 per cent. less. 

 Then .Jones gets busy, he puts down on a piece of paper the cost 

 of the wool; he looks at it and studies it, and wonders if the farmer 

 can't afford to furnish it for less. He knows that the farmer did 

 not pay the Lord anything for growing the wool on the sheep's 

 back, and that there was, therefore, no cost of raw material, and 

 that the only thing that made it cost was the labor of the farmer 

 in caring for the sheep and raising food with which to feed them. 



He consults the farmer, who by facts and figures proves to him 

 that he cannot sell the wool for a lower price and make a living. 



He now puts on this piece of paper the names of all the 

 people in his employ; the amount paid them; the cost of his 

 taxes and his insurance and his fuel, and when he adds them 

 all together, he finds it is impossible for him to meet the price 

 that has been made by Smith, and leave him a profit. 



•Tones has been employing tnen, in his factory, but upon investi- 

 gation he finds that Smith has employed women and girls; so he 

 concludes to displace his men with girls only, and go Smith one 

 better. 



