Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-12-29
Do NOT SEEK
REGULATION OF
COPPERS PRICE
The Recent Meeting of Phelps
Dodge and Kindred inter-
eSts Has Been MiSunder-
stood BY a Great Many.


At the meeting last week in New
York. at lie Offices OF Phelps, Dodge
q Co, there was, a very large srepfe>
sentation OF the prominent copper
producers OF this country called to-
getaer to consider ways and means
of rehabilitating the Copper Produc
ers' Association and to expand, if pos,
sible the scope and influence of the
old organization, says the Boston
News Bureau.
There was present at the meeting
representatives of producing and sell
ing interests who, in the aggregate,
control at least 80 per cent or the
total output OF this country. 1t was
the unanimous vote of those present
that il would be advisable to organize
an association patterned after tAe old
association of which the late John
Stanton was secretary. So far as yet
developed, however, the ideas of tbos,
present was that the organization
should be purely statistical in char
acter, those having membership fur.
nishing to some one individual the fig
ures OF monthly output, these figures
to be sub-divided into groups and
made pubic every 80 days.
It is hoped that the members of the
organization viii see fit not only to
make known their output, but win
also furnish figures as to supplies of
.unsold copper on hand, and the
amount of stock in process. although
It has not been finally decided wheta-
er or rot il will be deemed advisable
to publish this latter information.
1t is also hoped by some of the most
influential members that it viii pe,
possible to secure the cooperation of
some OF the largest consuming inter
ests, men Ike Charles F. Brooker OF
the American Brass Co, for instance,
and those who buy the immense
copper supplies for the General Elec,
tric, Westinghouse aud Western Elec.
/ trio companies, who, with Mr.. Booker
probably represent at least 60 per
the United States.
For the present, however, it appears
that membership in the association,
will be confined purely to producing
interests
Among those present at last weeks
meeting were representatives of tiiI
United Metals Selling Co, the Ameri-
can Metal Co. the Stanton group of
mines, tie Quincy Mining Co, and in
fact, all concerns conspicuous in the
copper-producing industry.
The impress ON has gone out that
the new association would seek TO reg
ulate insome manner the price OF cop
per Such an Inference, however, has
70 basis in fact, the desire of the OF
gan cation being primarily to prevem
anwarranted and speculative advances
and declines in the metal These
fluctuations have done much during
the past few years seriously to upsst
the calculations of manufacturing in
tarests, who object, not so much 70
a stable Is or 16-cent price, as TO a
market subject TO quick and radical
changes and upon which ii is difficult
10 base specifications.
It is needless to say the Calumet &
Hecla interests and others well known
in the copper trade. would not for a
moment tolerate any suggestion of
price control
The suggestion at last weeks meet
ing was that a revival of the old cop
per producers association would be in
the interest of a helpful publicity, and
it met with the most cordial assent
by all those present.
Committees were appointed to de-
wise ways and means to carry on the
organization and these committees
will report at a meeting to be held
early in January.