SELLING LUMBER 115 



What the Southern Pine As- 

 sociation Is i- 



By J. E. Rhodes | 



Secretary- Manager, Southern Pine Association 



New Orleans, La. 



The Southern Pine Association is unique among commercial 

 organizations of the United States. 



It is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of 

 Missouri, for the purpose of selling certain service to subscribers. 

 It has a paid-up capital stock of $2,000, held by its directors. The 

 service of the Association is sold like that of a mercantile rating 

 agency, to any person who desires it, but it is of a special value 

 to the manufacturers and wholesalers of Southern Yellow Pine 

 only. 



Each person or firm subscribing to the service- of the Associa- 

 tion signs a contract which specifies that in order that the objects 

 of the Association may be carried out, as a clearing house of infor- 

 mation concerning Southern Yellow Pine, certain information will 

 be furnished for compilation and distribution in the shape of sum- 

 maries or averages for the benefit of all, and that when such infor- 

 mation is furnished, a rebate of 5 cents per thousand will be made 

 to the subscriber on his fees,, which makes a net rate of assessment 

 of 5 cents per thousand, based on monthly sales. 



Because of the results achieved from the work so far inaugu- 

 rated by the fee of 5 cents on monthly sales, it is now proposed 

 to increase the subscription fees 1 cent for every six months, be- 

 ginning July 1, until the maximum net fee of 10 cents per thou- 

 sand has been reached, if it is found that the revenue based upon 

 that charge is necessary. 



The affairs of the Southern Pine Association are supervised 

 by a board of two directors from each state in which subscribers 

 are located, with three from the State of Missouri. Hence with 

 two directors each from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, HowAssocia- 

 Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, and three from Mis- Are Managed 

 souri, there is a board of nineteen directors. The directors are 

 nominated by the subscribers of each state, and are thereupon elected 

 by the stockholders at the annual meeting of the corporation. The 



