HARDWOOD RECORD 



21 



Fe seems to be the chief offender, and whUe President Brown of the 

 New York Central Unes has taken a decidedly optimistic view of the 

 situation, and has seemingly done all in his power to overcome the 

 effects of the recent flurry in business conditions in general, he has 

 constantly made statements which, if they were true, would show the 

 railroad interests to be in a deplorably weak and unsettled condition 

 and Uable to bankruptcy at almost any time. 



Not only have extensive plans for improvements and construction 

 work been abandoned for an indefinite period, but Mr. Eipley has 

 intimated that the lumber companies and the steel mUls will receive 

 no more orders for material. Of course, it is evident that this atti- 

 tude is meant to create business disturbance over as wide a territory 

 as possible, and by prophesying a serious depression, foUowmg legis- 

 lative action adverse to the roads, he leads one to believe that such 

 is what he is working and hoping for. 



This opinion does not seem to be shared very generally, and it is 

 usually recognized that the action is a mere bluff on his part, fhat 

 it is a poor policy from a business point of view seems evident, for 

 while he is letting the faciHties and rolling stock of the ^anta Fe 

 run down to a condition where that road cannot handle proposed 

 business, other roads are keeping up their property and will eventuaUy 

 take that part of the trade which desires a safe means of transporta- 

 tion and which requires for freight a sure and prompt delivery. 



Taft Tariff Upheld by Figures 



The prevailin<T contention that the recent tariff legislation at Wash- 

 ington had no material intiuence in the slackening of lumber trade 

 and of business in general throughout the country seems to have been 

 upheld by figures recently compiled and published through the Bureau 

 of Statistics at Washington in defense of that tariff law. If these 

 figures are to be considered authentic. President Taft's declaration 

 that the Aldrich law is "the best tariff bill that the repubUcan party 

 ever passed" seems to be with some foundation. The statements 

 cover the first nine months of operation up to April 30, the figures 

 being compared to a corresponding period of each year since 1890. 

 In this way the influence of the bill is compared with that of ths 

 Dingley, "Wilson and the jMcKinley laws. 



It is alleged by these statistics that: 



The customs receipts are greater than in any previous year. 



The importations of free merchandise are greater than m any pre- 

 vious year. 



The percentage of free merchandise is greater than m any year 



under the Dingley tariff. 



The average ad valorem duty is less than any previous year except 

 1896 when the Wilson tariffs were in operation. 



By way of proving that the increased importation of free and duti- 

 able merchandise is not disastrous to American industry, figures are 

 submitted giving the state of various industries in this country, and 

 it is further shown that the importation of raw materials of various 

 kinds has shown a most decided increase. These figures cover lumber 

 and pulpwood, together with copper, iron ore, wool, cotton, hides and 

 various other items, and are much above the average for the last ten 



years. 



That the new tariff is the greatest money getter the government 

 ever introduced is proven by the fact that during this period the total 

 receipts under the new law were $252,150,814, compared with $251,- 

 330,303 for 1907, which was the banner year of the last twenty. 



The percentage of free merchandise is 49.9 per cent of the total 

 imports. This is higher than any other year except 1892 and 1894, 

 when the percentages were 55.4 and 58.9, under the McKinley law. 



There was an increase of more than $100,000,000 on the importation 

 of free merchandise under the Aldrich law, there being brought into 

 this country duty free $601,530,750 worth of products, compared with 

 $500,072,403 worth for 1907, the best previous year. 



The average duty estabUshed by the Aldrich law appUed to total 

 imports is 20.91 per cent, which is almost two per cent less than 

 the best previous figures, those for 1909, when the average was 22.73 

 per cent. 



A fair-minded and thorough consideration of these statements 



which have been issued from an authoritative source, together with 

 the fact that President Taft has secured his appropriation for the 

 investigation of the entire tariff question with a view to still further 

 revision along definite and justifiable Unes, would lead to a more 

 logical and eommonsense view of the situation as it stands today, a 

 situation which is but little understood by the bulk of the people. 



More Talk of a Lumber Trust 



Years ago, when the possibilities of the existence of a lumber trust 

 were suggested and an investigation was first inaugurated, the move 

 was received with amusement by those conversant with the situation 

 and with the absolute impossibUity of a combination, even remotely 

 approaching the proportions of a trust. With the constant dogging 

 and the ignorance of the subject evinced by those most insistent in 

 denouncing the lumber industry, the feeUng changed to anger and 



finally to disgust. , ■, ^.c i 



While the ultimate issue has never for a moment been doubtful, a 

 constant fight must be maintained against such false and unjust 

 reports, for until the rumor is refuted and the allegations proved and 

 officially proclaimed without foundation by the investigators them- 

 selves, the influence of the charges in holding prices below a fair level 

 will be ever present. 



There have been two previous investigations made by the govern- 

 ment one by Herbert Knox Smith, head of the Bureau of Corpora- 

 tions, and one bv the Senate Committee on the Cost of Living. Hearty 

 cooperation with the investigators was accorded by the lumbermen, 

 who were promised a complete report at an early date. They wel- 

 comed this move as an opportunity for freeing themselves of the 

 charge and Ufting the burden, always detrimental, to the trade. There 

 was certainly nothing discovered which would even hint at a trust, 

 and yet the report, though promised months ago, is not forthcoming. 



The present investigation apparently has no connection with those 

 of previous dates and seems to be part of the program outbned by 

 President Taft with a view to ascertaining the increased cost ot 

 various common commodities. The present action seems to be under- 

 taken with a view to ascertaining whether or not there is any com- 

 bination existing in the trade at variance with the Sherman anti-trust 

 law It seems that the ignorant investigators have heard that there 

 is a combination of lumbermen representing an investment of about 

 $10,000,000, and do not seem to realize that this investment repre- 

 sents oilly about one-tenth of one per cent of the total value of forest 

 products in the country. 



The situation is ridiculous on the face of it. It is difacult to con- 

 ceive the condition of mind of the authorities in Washington in 

 allowing it to continue. Certainly every opportunity has been afforded 

 for a thorough investigation. There has never been any necessity for 

 withholding any information, and lumbermen throughout the country 

 will unite in expressing a desire for a speedy settlemen of the matter 

 They merely ask that upon finding conditions favorable to them, the 

 facts be published and the public mind cleared of a wrong impression. 



Marking the Feetage on Hardwoods 



President Carrier of the Hardwood Manufacturers' Association of 

 the United States advocates in shipping lumber the marking of either 

 the board contents, or the width of each board, in cases where a 

 twelve-foot scale is used, on every piece. Mr. Carrier notes that this 

 marking will greatly assist the receiver in checking up measurements, 

 and it will facilitate the settlement of disputes in cases of shortage 

 claims This latter system is carried on in the export trade, and 

 there is no reason why it should not be used in domestic business 



The Kecokd wants also to suggest to shippers the desirability ot. 

 attaching to every invoice an original tally with every car shipped. If 

 this method were employed it would absolutely eUminate the crooked 

 practice prevailing in some quarters of raising grades and padding 

 feetage. Both dupUcate and tripUcates of original tallies can be 

 made without any extra cost by the employment of the Gibson Tally 

 Book svstem manufactured by Hakdwood Eecokd. Specimens of these 

 covers "and tickets will be sent on approval to responsible parties. 



