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

Of our organization this past year.
with the minimum OF indulgences In
fond homes and anticipations
wherefore IN what l have to say
10 YOU on this occasion. our fourth an
nual convention, you are TO expect the
nlaIn and straightforward statement
rather than the pretty phrase. 1t Is
safe 10 say that the past year has
brought to us as individual dealers
reasonable measure of prosperity No
better evidences of this could be
found than your attendance at this
meeting.
"rhe very fact of the existence OF
this prosperity ACCOUNTS to an extent
for the comparative inactivity Of this
western association along certain lines
In which in some years past great
deal of energy has been expended.
II Is very fortunate for you as indi-
viduals and for our organization that
this condition of affairs prevails today,
and that you have had so little occa-
sion tn invoke the assistance of your
organization along protective
lines.
az say that this Inactivity has been
fortunate and / mean by this state
ment that 1t IS well that we have not
been Obliged to exert ourselves to the
utmost because the period which has
lust past has been one for elaboration
rather than for action. II, as may
possibly be the case in some rare In
stances, Individual members feel that
desirable degree of action has been
lacking. this preliminary statement
with the explanation which follows,
will I hope afford abundant reason
for this same inertia.
I'm stating that this past year has
been a season for deliberation ! could
we'll go further and say the most inn
portant and critical elaboration in
the history of retail lumber trade or
ganlZations.
TOO MUCH BIG STICK.
"Tncensed at wrongs perpetrated by a
few. excited by the crys of certain
class of demagogue politicians Tor So
sailed reformers) and the fever fed by
n press over ambitious for sensations
the people of our country have worked
themselves into state OF mind, where
like the lonely old woman, they suspect
the existence OF man" under every
bedstead, every chair, behind every
drapery. and almost under the wall
paper and carpets OF the commercial or
economical household. In an excess of
anxiety TO discover the presence, and
investigate the intentions of every in
truder and to punish for every such
intrusion, there has been a disposition
to WELD the big stick not wisely, but
too we'll The result OF such welding
cannot but be disastrous. when in this
frenzy. so-calied investigation attacks
every object which could concelvably
hide that bug-a- boo. a trust as we term
IL IN the commercial household The
family Gl-can has been raped with
vengeance, every corner In the flour bin
has been prodded TO drive to the light
of day grain trust or Hour trust;
in the greatest anxiety 10 discover and
throttle the coal trust intruder, the
fa L.
with its contents out OF the house
hold. The stove trast, the carpet trust
and every other trust has come in for
share OF attention and 1t Is but natural
that occasionally making the discovery
OF the presence of something which re-
sembles this bug a-boo that the old
woman of investigation should worry
and worry lest that somewhere there be
concealed lumber trust.
Those of us who know by constant
association with the facts of our bust
ness that there is not, and there cannot
be lumber trust, are not fearing the
results OF the most searching investiga-
tion. Unfortunately. however. the mer-
est shadow. the slightest semblance,
even the atmosphere surrounding an
ordinary trade organization brings from
some quarter violent accommodation. In
all this excitement methods have been
adopted and tactics persued by some
~ . lolhtblHt AaANulilNu W put btyoHu
the law the most innocent trade organ
izatIons. founded for the best Of pur-
poses and intended only through edu-
cation and enlightenment OF the trade
In general TO thereby lift and strength
en- the soundest economic and CONNER
cial conduct OF our business.
HAVE KEPT THE LAWS.
And so say confronted with this
condition of affairs this past year has
been season for elaboration on tho
part AZ your officers and directors, 1t
being the desire not merely 10 avoid, as
we always have endeavored to avoid
the breaking of the laws OF the land
II has been our desire. ! say. 10 so con-
duct ourselves In the affairs OF this
association thur we might be removed
from even the semblance OF law-break-
ing H. is true likewise of all similar
organizations throughout the land that
they have expended money and energy
TO study existing conditions and to so
accommodate themselves to such con-