Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-14

ditions AS To DO able to confront oven
the meat fanatical and unreasonable
| reformer with such a clear statement
| OF our PURPOSES and our aims and 50
accurate an insight Into our Workings,
that no exception could be taken 70 our
continued existonce. We have felt that
the great good which this association
! can probably perform along edueatlVe
| lines In making the members better
merchants and hence better citizens has
! Justified the FORGETTING Of what may to
| some appear fair and 1ustiflable exer-
else of privileges which trade organ
| ization always endeavors TO forward
the membership. We have consulted
with tho best legal talent cast and
west; our secretary has met with the
officers OF similar organizations In the
most careful and painstaking deliber-
alton and while the results OF such de-
| liberation are by no means completed
| land IN the nature of things cannot
Immediately be so completely yet we
have reached the conclusion that we
are not in any respect violating the
laws of the land.
"All OF this is for your Information
regarding the general lines upon which
We have been celebrating. Before the
adjournment OF this convention we hope
that you will better understand the eff
forts which have been made and are
ness and protect the Justihable exist
ence of our own and OF similar organ
izations.
ITO a considerable proportion OF the
consuming public the mere fact of an
advance In the price OF any commodity
is sufficient to create agitation and to
bring hints and declarations that those
engaged In selling such commodity are
in combination or are members OF
trust. And as is usual In such cases.
those who are least familiar with the
subject in all It's qualifications and who
are least acquainted With the real facts
OF the trade and of it's sources of sup
ply are loudest in their denunciation.
We who do know the actual conditions
and understand the working of the law
Of supply and demand In the lumber
business, require no explanation for the
present era of higher values and we
understand perfectly well that each
consumer contributes to an extent 70
these Increased values, by Joining in the
demand for supplies in excess Of the
normal production.
ARE NOT TO BLAME.
"The dlsagreeable condition Of affairs
leading TO accusations which are alb
solutely unfounded exists IN some
places today, and to some extent we
are suffering in common with dealers In
every line OF merchandise. Granting
that this Is the case Is there any reason
for enduring it2 Is it necessary? We
resent It. knowing that we are not TO
blame. Yet, all the time powerful
remedy lies within our reach. To my
view we can overcome the present con-
ditions by spreading broadcast and
putting IN the possession of everyone
the facts which do really account for
the prices which we ask for our COM
modify and II we will be in any degree
as alert and as persistent In laying
these facts before the public as Is the
cheap politician and the busybody IN
spreading misstatements, we can min
imize the effect of the misunderstand-
ing There is hardly an Issue of our
trade papers which do not contain to
some extent information which VIII be
of interest to the public This informa-
ton, supplied occasionally to the press
In readable form, Ineligible to the
average consumer. will be heartily well
coined by the average newspaper as
the choicest OF news. Such publica-
tons as the recently published history
of lumber industry can be OF great as
slstance along these lines, ana an ear
nest effort to get before the public the
facts OF an ever increasing demand and
A rapidly diminishing supply, presented
in all It's phases is TO my mind the
hest possible method OF bringing our
customers to an intelligent appreciation
of the truth. And all we need are the
facts. they viii speak for themselves
to any reasonable man. IT is impos-
sible in the scope of this paper to sug-
gest IN any great detail the numberless
facts which viii contribute to our
puypose but the mere mention is SUI
fcient to set to work In our minds the
thought of the many causes which all
contribute to the higher values which
prevail and which will continue to pre-
vail.
REASON FOR EXISTENCE.
Granting the great measure OF good
which this method-publicity-w ac-
complish. we must face the fact that
there vet remains In the mind OF many
a question as to the reason for the
existence OF trade organizations such
as the Western association. 1t is right
here that we find a difference of opin-
ion among association authorities and
this difference of opinion resolves itself
into this: TO what extent can we prop
erly permit our trade organizations TO
go in an effort to serve Its members
and what can be the declared policy of
our own particular trade unions? Win
due allowance for the real and the
main purposes OF our meeting and our
organization, there has been a dispo-
sition on the part OF some of our sis
ter associations to adopt as a policy a
strict agreement to endeavor to con-
fine the handling OF lumber at retail, 10
the dealer who engages or may engage
in the retail business. Others OF the
retail associations including our own
under the direction OF your executive
officers have declined to accept this as
the wisest policy. Rather we have
chosen to content ourselves with maxi
ing as our essential purpose along such
lines the simple dissemination of In
formation as to the manufacturers and
| wholesalers who coufne their business
10 selling TO the dealer and those who
apparently prefer to cater to an ex
| tent or very largely 70 the consumer
| direct. AS we already know and as
| stated In our articles, we are In nowise
bound to any line OF action and our
whole purpose along semi-protective
! lines Is simply to assist the smallest
| dealer to obtain a livelihood and rea-
| scnable return on his Investment. 1t
II needless 20 say thai any information
| which we disseminate Is acknowledgements
| 10 the creation OF n trust but 10 the
| contrary, the tendency is 10 prevent a
| combination Of the strong against the
weak II Is hut natural that as indl-
viduals we do not wish to assist the
manufacturer 10 build up his business
by holding UP TO him with one hand
I