The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1907-02-16

through the efforts of our association
e and without the assistance of those
t newspapers whose ''stock in trade" is
e to cry out against us as outlaws, and
: also without the aid OF a horde of
politicians who never fulfil ante
election promises. We point with
ride to the fact that SO far as our
5 business is concerned we have no
| apology to offer for getting our
! insurance at from ~one-fourth to one
half the rates charged by Ole line
companies; also to the fact that this
association was the first organization
of business men in this country to
pass a resolution demanding lgreater
powers for the. Interstate Commerce
Commission, and that we spent time
and %energgiin. securing the passage
OF the recent rate bill in congress.
We ols4m[ With IarSonable pride to
have originated the reciprocal
d%emurrage idea, whiehis now claim
ing the attention of the shipping
interests of the entire countryI ana
on which we confidently hope to
secure favorable legislation from the
present session of congress; also we
have shown the ability to organize
and maintain an organization which
has been efficient in lawfully improv-
ing and e~levating our business, and
az the same time protecting the
people who p%atronize u members
against unlawful, unjust and
monopolistic competition.
Isl AS individual citizens and
taxpayers, we believe we are entitled
to the trade of the several communi-
ties in which we respectively do
business, and that we are entitled to
a fair and reasonable profit: and as
such individuals and taxpayers we
shall personally use all lawful means
to protect II respective businesses
against the encroachments of all who
pay no taxes, have no interests in the
community and contribute nothing to
the support of its public or private
institutions. And further we ask that
our critics sufficiently inform them
selves so as to be able to distinguish
between our efforts to obtain a
reasonable profit on the one hand.
and the claim or ~extortion upon our
customers upon the other,
0) We, by u constitution,
recognize the right of the
manufacturer and wholesaler to sell
lumber in whatever market, to
whatever purchaser and at whatever
price he may see fit, but we do not
thereby recognize their right nor the
right of anyone to a monopoly of the
retail trade. We stand for the
principle of equal rights and equal
protection under the law. This has
beer a principle in business as long as
business has been carried on. If this
principle is to be set aside in order
that the law may reach certain trusts
which are monopolizing trade in
certain branches, then the law, itself
creates an inequality which results in
a trust; for we, as a class, will be
wiped out, and the foreign dealers,
who have no interest in u several
communities will obtain a monopoly
OF trade and thereby become a trust.
We protest that ours is an honest.
lawful business, that we are entitled
to our constitutional rights of life.
liberty and pursuit of happiness.
We therefore declare, that We win
use all lawful means to maintain.these
rights. We claim that we are as
much of a necessity to the
communities in which we do business
as is the retailer of merchandise in
other lines, or the doctor, the LAWYER
or even the postmaster. Therefore
we instruct our incoming board of
directors to take such action and
employ such means as they deem best
to promote the objects of this associa,
ton to the end that every retail
lumberman shall secure such equal
rights and equal protection under ,
the law as is ~vouchsafed to law
abiding citizens of the state and
nation.
Resolved finally; That we invite
investigation of u association
and its methods by proper state or
national officials or by others who are
authorized, competent and un-
preiudiced, in order that our rights
may be defined and that the stigma Of
trust may be removed. we prefer
judicial decisions though they NAV
be against US, to the damage wrought
by a p%rejudiced and uniformed