Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-07-18
LUMBER TRADE
SAID TO BE GETTING BACK ON A
FIRM BASIS.
The Mississippi Valley Lumberm.n on the Trade
Situation. Anticipated Troubles Have Dis.
appeared, and All Indications Point to
Brisk Fall Trade.

1t is somewhat peculiar state Of
affairs that with every physical condition
pointing to healthful business vitality
the year up to the present time has
shown a shrnkage of actual business
transactions. While this statement APP
plies alike to almost any line of bust.
ness in The category, it is especially true
Of the lumber trade. Everything that is
recognized as having a bearing toward
causing the present business conserva
tism of the country, is OF moral or SER.
timental nature. Three chief causes
have contributed to the actual condition
ure been removed. Only one.is potent
at the present time. Two OF them ought
not to have been resultant OF so much
uncertainty. for their effects are more
imaginary than real. The other has
p oven more cause for apprehension
than realization. The three are, the
fear of labor troubles that has been over
hanging tie labor world for some months,
the presidential campaign, and the re.
tuIn OF the ten-year period when depres-
sion is looked for, because it is matter
of history that it has usually come at the
end of such periods. Fortunately, the
year has gotten well started without the
anticipated labor troubles. The bugaboo
of the return OF hard times every ten
years appears to have been disposed Of
There remains but the effect Of the presi
dental camr aim, and there ought to be
a minimum OF apprehension OF the result
of the fall elections ielt from now on.
Meanwhile the lumber manufacture S
o. tie country have been forced to reco,
nlze II con Aition. Some OF them have
been m )re quick to act on it than others,
but all are now in line, and are laying
the foundation that will put trade back
on a firm basis. The white pine manu-
/. cture:s anticipated the conservative
scti, II OF both large and small bu, ers,
nj commenced to curt all their output
wi en- they could best do Scat the be.
ginning OF the logging season. Results
have proven the wisdom OF their fore
sight, for the white pine market is in
better condition today than the mar ket
for either Of its chief competitions, west
ern fir and southern yellow pine. With
a reduced output to menace the stability
OF the market, the white pine manufac.
turers have been able to make advances
OF some items OF stock during period
wnen the prices on the other two woods
were lettering.
However, during the past month, the
manufacturers both OF the west and south
have taken steps that ought to put fir
and yellow pine back on firm basis for
the fall trade that promises to be large.
The surplus Of productive capacity will
be idle during the current month in both
sections. The large associations repre-
senting both have recommended cur
tailment of pro luction amounting to
i. time as the market supply is more near
~ proportonate to the market demand.
In both sections there are evidences that
the recommendation has been followed
by action and that curtailment is fact.
This action on the part OF manufacturers
of fir and yellow pine will do more to
put the market back on a healthy basis
than any other they could have taken,
and it is the most logical and sensible.
1t is an easy thing for the manufacture
ers in any line to get together and pro-
. mulgate price list. 1t is quite an, ther
thing to hold large number of ind.v.d.
ual firms to the mark when the only
thing to bind them is their individual
disposition in the matter, and especially
when there is larger supply of the
commodity represented than the market
can well absorb. Once remove the
menacing surplus and the task is COM
paratively easy one. That is the end Of
the problem the manufacturers have
tackled, and they are going at it in a
manner that promises success. By the
time active buying commences in the
fall, the three principal woods that are
handled in the yards OF the middle west
promise to be back on basis of tirmness
that will insure fair profits for the manu-
facturers.