RESULTS OF OUR FOREST POLICY 347 



hemlock lumber to-day and has money to pay for it has the price 

 situation in his own hands.""" 



"Spruce demand has remained about the same with low prices 

 and a general disregard for the list by some, of the larger manu- 

 facturers.""^ 



"The most glaring instance of unwise management is the maple 

 flooring association. The price list adopted in July was unwarranted 

 by market condition, and, as orders did not come in, many firms began 

 to cut freely. This was hushed up at first, but discontent grew, the 

 'Boxers' started out with long knives and now the slashing has become 

 general."^^ 



Not infrequently market prices have gone above the list, as the 

 following quotations indicate: 



"For weeks buyers of white pine had thrown away all bargaining 

 for prices and freely offered anything which would bring the stock. 

 Above the list was common at that time, and the present list is con- 

 ceded to be only a fair representation of the real strength of the 

 market.""^ 



"Many items of white pine on the list are selling at a premium."^* 



"It was shown that sales were being made in nearly every instance 

 at a figure considerably higher than the list."^^ 



The Missouri ouster suit of 1913, in which the Supreme Court of 

 Missouri found some twenty-five lumber companies guilty of violating 

 the state anti-trust law, furnishes little proof of the effectiveness of 

 price activities. There was no doubt that the lumber companies had 

 been guilty of technical conspiracy in violation of the anti-trust law, 

 had attempted to fix prices ; and the court even held that these efforts 

 had been successful, but did not make much of the question of success. 

 Possibly the decision should not be regarded too seriously anyhow, 

 for much of the evidence rests on the investigation of a single com- 

 missioner of facts, and the tenor of his report and of the decision 

 based on it indicates that perhaps the zeal to find the truth was over- 



20 N. Y. Lumber Trade Journal, May 15, 1908, 27. 



21 Am. Lumberman, Aug. 8, 1908, 78. 



22 Boston news in Am. Lumberman, Feb. 14, 1903, 63. 



23 Minneapolis news in Miss. Valley Lumberman, Mar. 30, 1906, 34. 



24 Minneapolis news in Miss. Valley Lumberman, May 31, 1907, 35. 



25 Am. Lumberman, Oct. 14, 1905, 33; report of meeting of Oct. 3, 1905. 



