Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-04-05
All Dainty Girls Of the Sweet
Sixteen Age
Hear Clever Davis Gau

about thirty-eight per cent. This
correspondent with the advance in
other commodities which enter so
greatly into tne cost of lumber, and
in part to the increased values OF
stunlpage.
"Prices to the consumer in some
sections of tie country remote lum'
reproducing sections, advanced prob
ably in still greater proportion due in
part to the exhaustion Of near sup
plies, making necessary the payment
of greatly increased transportation
charges.
Trusts Raised Prices.
notwithstanding these sufficient
reasons it is charged and seems to
have been commonly believed that
the increase in prices at the mill was
due to the existence of controlling
combinations or agreements common
ly known as trusts and that the 'lum.
Der trust was and is an oppressive
entity.
The petition then says that respon-
sive to public charges congress adop-
ted resolutions for an investigation
of the lumber business. Attention is
particularly called to the fact that
the resolutions required that the in
vestigation should be conducted with
the particular object of ascertain
ing the existence of any combination,
conspiracy, trust, agreement or con-
tract in restraint Of commerce.
The petition says further that while
the effect of these resolutions was
injurious to the lumber industry, the
investigation was welcomed by lum-
Der producers "who had long been
FESTIVE under the loo3e unfounded
and ignorant charges made against
Them" and that every assistance to
the investigation was given.
with this active and hearty CO.
operation of the lumber industry it
was felt that the inquiry should pro-
duce early results" On the con-
trary, says the petition, it was not
until February 10. 1911 more than
four years after the passage of the
resolution. that any report whatever
was made by the commissioners of
corporations, WAC had charge of this
investigation under the secretary of
the department of commerce and Ia
Dor. The petition calls attention to
the fact that this report was only a
partial one and failed to give the
lumber producers the verdict they
desired.
The petition closes with an urgent
that the charges against the lumber
manufacturers of the United States
be as promptly brought to a conclu.
sion as seem likely to be those against
lumber dealers who have been brought
into court"
Concentrated Ownership.
Secretary Nagel in transmitting to
the President to answer to the lumber
mems complaint, says the report OF
the bureau Of corporations was not
only important and relavent to the
issue involved in the resolutions OF
congress, but that the amount OF
standing timber and the concentra
ton of its ownership were absolutely
essential to the discussion of the
questions involved. The Secretary
says the bureau found a wholly un-
expected and a very remarkable de.
gree of concentration Of standing
timber 1t thus applied q second and
absolutely essential basic fact in the
discussion of lumber prices.
The Secretary says the bureau of
corporations has, considering the
task. supplied necessary, facts as rap
idly as possible; that it is now carry.
ing on also an investigation into com
petitive methods. report on which
will be presented as soon as possible.
Referring further to the statement
of the lumber that the first and only
report made by the department OF
commerce and labor was the report
in 1911 on standing timber. Secre-
tary Nagel says the bureau has also
for some time been carrying on in.
vestigations into the actual course OF
the prices of lumber. and this too
will be presented as soon as finished.
incidentally Mr.. Nagel points out the
difficulty of gathering this .informa.
ton
Hopes for investigation.
Secretary Nagel says, In reply to
the demand for a verdict, that It
would be wholly impracticable for the
bureau and entirely out Of its turis.
diction, to render a verdict on the
existence Of the so-called lumber
trust or conspiracy in restraint Of
trade; that the question 10 strictly q
legal one. ANY attempt on the part
Of the bureau Of corporations says
the secretary. to make such . finding
Of guilty or not guilty, would be an