Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-08
HARDWARE PROBLEMS
Manufacturers and Jobbers in
Convention Here.
JOINT SESSION HELD
HIGH PRAISE BESTOWED ON PRES
IDENT ROOSEVELT.
First Meeting This Morning Attended
by More Than Eight Hun
dred Delegates.

| About eight hundred members OF the
American Harware Manufacturers Assoc
citation and the National Hardware Asso-
citation. the latter composed OF jobbers. are
In this city in attendance on the joint an
nual conventions OF the two bodies.
The first session of the Jobbers' conven-
ton was held at the Arlington Hotel at 10
o'clock this morning, and the manufactur-
ers were present by special invitation
Opening addresses were delivered the Sec
etary-treasurer's report was received ard
there was a discussion on the question Of
how to lessen the mail order and cata-
logue trade, by which. it Is stated. the job
bers and retailers are being deprived of
large amount of business and being in some
cases forced to suspend.
Secretary-Treasurer 7. James Fernley Of
Philadelphia told of the efforts of the as
ISOLATION to secure a lower postal rate Tor
first-class mail matter and a strenuous
movement to defeat all measures looking
toward the establishment of parcels post
and the delivery of mail in rural districts
by number only.
The Catalogue house question is prob
ably the most important one with which
the job6ers and their friends, the retailers,
have to deal at present. A joint committee
of retailers and jobbers reported at the
meeting this morning through its chair
man, S. Norville of ST. Louis, and two men,
bers-E. NJ Bush of Evansville, Ind, vice
president of the general retailers organiza-
ton, and s. M. Miles of Mason City, Iowa,
eX-president of his state retailers organi-
cation War against the catalogue business
was declared by every speaker represent
ing the committee, and Secretary Fernley of
the jobbers association in his annual re-
port called for united effort to meet the
condition of affairs. One of the arguments
advanced in behalf of the proposed move
ment was that, aside from injuring the
Ia oil tir,a to h1Ic trnc of fhn tnI hnr oS,I
taller this mail order trade, with its cut
prices, will eventually cheaper the grade
of article put upon the market and rebound
to the injury of the public at large.
The question of freight rate legislation is
expected to come before both organizations
tomorrow for endorsement or disapproval
1t Is said that considerable differe &c, of o IN
ion exists among the members as to what
acton, if any, should be taken on this Ques-
ton. especially in the ranks of the big
manufacturers who are naturally more
deeply interested in freight problems.
Presidents Annual Address.
President Samuel A. BIgeow the popular
president of the National Hardware Asso-
citation. who halls from Boston. made his
annual address to the members this fore
noon, in which he reviewed the generally
prosperous condition Of the country and
complimented President Roosevelt highly
for his attitude on public questions and his
efforts in behalf Of peace in the far east
What more fit place to hold our eleventh
annual convention than in the capital of
our country" he said by way Of introduce
ton. What better time than in the closing
months of a most eventful year, which has
brought peace to two great nations through
the personal effort of our beloved President
Theodore Roosevelt.
Let us rejoice that our President has
been the chosen savior to relieve all this
distress and suffering, and that God has
given him power and strength of will to ac-
complish these great results. In offering our
tribute I believe we can all subscribe to
Secretary Morton's estimate of the man,
whose honest integrity and indomitable will
has enabled him to accomplish so much
good for all mankind and placed our coun-
try in the proud position of peacemaker for
all the world: He Is. taken all in all, one
of the most remarkable of all the great
men who have occupied the White House.
AS earnest in his love of country as Wash
ington. as farseeing as Jefferson, as cour-
ageous as Jackson and as much opposed to
| human slavery in all forms as Abraham
Lincoln. he stands robust in his integrity
and sturdy in his determination that there
shall be a square deal all around
Let his example guide us in the work of
our convention"
Referring TO the prosperous condition of
the hardware and iron trade, he said in
part:
Pig iron. the base metal from which all
hardware products are made. was never
in greater demand. Many furnaces have
withdrawn from the market. having sold
their entire product for the first quarter
of the coming year. All classes of buyers
are still in the market. and all grades of
iron are in demand. Notwithstanding adj
vanced prices. buyers are seeking to make
contracts extending far into next year but
few furnaces are willing to sell beyond
April next. Consumption at the present
has reached marvellous proportions. Prices
have already advanced over So per ton in
the past year"
The Canadian Trade.
An interesting statement in regard to
Canadian trade relations with this country
was made by Cyrus A. Birge, ex-president
of the Canadian Hardware Manufacturers
Association, who addressed the convention
briefly.
1--WE like you on this side of the line" he