The Washington herald., 1908-06-28
GOOD TIME TO BUILD
Benefit of Taking Advantage
of Present Conditions.
MATERIALS CHEAPER NOW
Labor Plentiful and Contractors Can
Pick Workmen-This saves In Ex-
penSe of COnstructiOn-Mnter
Cost from Fifteen to Twenty Per
Cent Less Than Last Year.

The American Lumberman is urging an
energetic campaign upon the platform.
Now is the time 10 build. The ground
is taken that materials are now cheaper
than they were one year ago, and cheaper
than they are likely % De one year hence.
Labor is abundant. the Lumberman saws.
and everybody who can is urged 10 help
business along by starting in TO erect
their buildings this summer In its next
issue the Lumbcrman will say:
1t is possible now 10 secure more and
better work for the same price than at
any time within the last two years. Ma
tcrials are cheaper. labor is cheaper. anXi-
Gus for employment and earnest in its
desire 20 give full value. These certainly
are factors which the wise investor should
take into account
Buildings put up for investment yield
not to exceed an average Of per cent.
BY building at this time investors should
save 10 10 20 per cent on the cost as COM
pared with the cost in 1907. and the outlay
that probably will be required next year.
This is equivalent 10 the earnings on the
investment for two and one-half to three
years.
Law OF supply and Demand.
1T is admitted. of course. that the de-
mand is greatest when prices are highest,
and in turn prices are high because the
demand is great Humanity has one char
acteristic in common with sheep. and that
is each requires leader. Frequently the
excuse Brown gives for building is: We'll.
Jones is a shrewd fellow and he started
to build; if it is a good thing for him, IL
must be a good thing for me IN point
Of fact, what may be good for Jones may
prove otherwise for Brown.
Each person should consider his own
resources and scan closely every possible
advantage. His determination to do or
not 20 do should be formed. not because
of the activity of some one else but upon
his own initiative.
"a word in regard TO lumber prices
Values necessarily will show fluctuations
in the future. Sale prices viii move up
and down in response TO heavy demand
or its temporary restriction The lumber
trade Of The country and the lumber con-
sumers of the country should remember,
however. that n steadily increasing de-
mand is being filed from a constantly de-
! creasing supply of timber The inevitable
outcome of these forces working one upon
the other will be a higher price level
decade has its high and its low prices.
but the low prices Of 1900 10 1910 will be
about in line with the high prices of 1890
to 1900. There are possible exceptions. but
few people have the opportunity to profit
by the exceptions, which. in substance.
mean the sacrifice OF some one else's
property TO satisfy pressing claims
Materials Are Cheaper Now.
Lumber brick. stone. and other ma
terials necessary TO the construction OF
buildings purchased and put into place at
this time. will be worth IN the new rela-
/ ton they bear TO the other a great deal
more a year or two from now than the
present cost. Furthermore. such struc-
lures will be ready for use
by diffusing the efforts OF workmen
over a broader period a twofold advantage
is gained; one is the work is done with
out undue haste and more attention is
given TO the perfection of details than
/ where speed is essential The other
advantage is that by keeping a majority
/ Of the people Of the country constantly
employed the dregs of depressed times
are not tasted, and Il is possible 10 pass
through such periods without undermin-
| ing or seriously impairing the credit and
! real interests Of the country"