The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-12
LUMBERMEN
in SESSION
Seek to Retain Dingley
Lumber Schedule.
REDUCTION WOULD BE UNJUST
Leading Manufacturing Industries
Of the South Would Suffer.
Ehe Alsbama-west Florida NIanufac-
tnxerx, Association Held an Inn
ps<aaf Meeting at the Ex-
change Hotel Yesterday.

A
regular monthly meeting yesterday al
moon of the Alabama West Florida
Lumber Manufacturers Association In
the Exchange Hotel. The lumbermer
present evidenced their intention OF
; not being discouraged by depression
and asserted the belief that prices fol
their products would soon look up.
It was the sense of the Association
expressed in no uncertain tones. that
its members should work for the re-
tention Of the Dingley schedule. II
was one of the leading matters up for
discussion yesterday. and had been one
of their orders of business at earlier
meetings. They declare that an In
justice would be done the leading man
ufacturing industry of the South by the
proposed reduction of the tariff OF ~
per thousand now imposed.
It will be recalled that the Congress
sional House bill cut the duty in half
and hxed the duty at 81, by way Of
factory to the manufacturer, he de-
ciares at association meetings. and that
body is doing all 1t can to influence the
United States Senate in amending the
bill now pending before that body, 80
as to secure a rate of at least $1.S0 per
thousand. IL not 81.
The matter was taken up with the
Alabama Representatives and Senator'S
some time ago. Letters were read at
yesterdays meeting relative to the
lumber tariff. A variety of opinions
were gotten out of the Alabama dele
cation. Some of them are outright
for free lumber, others voted Tor the
Payne measure In the House a. nnaily
amended to read 81. while Representa-
tives Robson and Taylor. it develops.
took the stand that the % should
stand. They believe the tariff measure
Is a sectional one or local one. and
that the South needs the protection.
1t was brought out that the Florida
senators were favorable to duitable
lumber and Senator Bacon OF Geor-
eia was spoken of in iaudatory terms.
The regular committee recently APP
pointed TO look after this phase Of Leg
ksiation was continued with four addt-
tions.
One of the Alabama Representatives
was quoted as being In favor Of the
reduction in duties on steel and iron,
but favored the removal of the lumber
tariff altogether. Attention was called
10 the fact that the reduction OF the
Dingley duties on other articles was
being used as an argument to justify
the reduction so per cent of the lumber
schedule But Il was the sense of the
luulbermen that IL any cut is 1usti-
liable. 1t ought to be in the proportion
Of other commodities. for there Is no
100 per cent duty to start with, as IL
the case with other things.
Dsseuss Classification.
A good deal Of time was taken ur
with the discussion Of export classihca.
ton. The members present interested
in selling export timber gave the bene-
! al Of their experience. Shippers
through Pensacola and Mobile told OF
eome OF their troubles and told Of some
Of their favorable results. It seemed
to be the consensus OF belief that tim
Der and lumber could be better sold
under an inspection by which the In
hector was allowed some discretion
Mnch embarrassment ensues from the
effort to stick by certain strict 'classi-
fications Instances were narrated
where certain inspectors threw out
stock which the manufacturer felt
| ought to grade up to the requirement.
i But the inspectors threw It out. The
buyer was called in and he himself
approved the order as 1t was being
filled.
Further efforts in behalf OF effective
! elassiBcation for export stuff are To
. be made and reported on at future
meetings. The work is in charge OF a
committee of which H. L. Berry IL
]. q. McGowin of Chapman. repre-
senting the W. T. Smith Lumber
Company, when asked about what sewn
timber for export is now bringing, said
his last order of any consequence was
quoted at about % cents per cubic foot
The secretary, ]. H. Eddy. read a
letter from the proper ofhcer OF the
American Lumber Trades Congress, re-
ouesting that delegates be appointed
to attend the annual convention of that
body in Chicago beginning June Z. next
President J. T. Burlingame will repre-
sent the Association and as alternate
was named Peter ,Vrenenburg, Jr.
II was determined at yesterdays
meeting that campaign will be
started to get new members. Secre-
tary Eddy had compiled a list OF some
800 or 400 mills which were not now
in the membership of the association
but that should be enrolled. Each
member has been furnished with a
copy of this prospective list. and he
was urged to solicit the membership
of all mills whose owners he knew
personally.
The members present yesterday be-
sides President Burlingame, who pre-
sided, were as follows: John J. Earle
Alabama Lumber and Export Company
Opelika, Ala; F. D. Shore, Florala
Saw Mill Company. Paxton, Fla; ]. G.
McGowin, w. T. Smith Lumber Com
pany, Chapman, Ala; S. E. Briggs
whitewater Lumber Company. Autau-
RavilIe. Ala; ]. H. Eddy. Kaul Lumber
company, Birmingham. Ala. J. c.