Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-04-06
LUMbERMEN ASK
FOR JUSTIFICATION
Want Results of Investiga-
ton Ordered in 1906
Made Public
FORMAL DEMAND ON TAFT
PETITION DECLARES THAT DE-
LAY IN REPORT CAUSES RE-
NEWED ATTACKS UPON
LUMBER INDUSTRY.

By Associated Press.
Washington. u. c., April Its
demand upon President Taft for pub
llcatlon OF conclusions of the Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor upon
It's investigation Of the lumber man
ufacturing business. ordered by Con-
gress In 1906. was made public today
by the National Lumber Manufactur-
ers' Association with other corre-
spondence between President Taft
and the Secretary OF the Department
OF Commerce and Labor.
This somewhat unusual attitude on
the part Of a great manufacturing In
dustry is In the form OF petition
which sets forth that the delay In
reporting the findings OF the depart
ment has tended TO confirm the pub
lie In the opinion that a lumber
trnst" exists In the manufacturing
side OF the lumber business. and has
greatly accentuated the attacks upon
that industry
I'VE. representing manv citizens OF
the United States. who are entitled
to Justice al the hands OF the gov
eminent. and 10 that Justice which
Is doublv admirable n prompt" says
the memorial petition vou 10 have
made public at the earliest possible
moment the whole conclusion OF tho
Department OF Commerce and Labor
as to the principal question put 10 II
by the Congressional resolutions, that
THE people Of this country may no
longer have to depend for their opin-
ion az TO the lumber producing in
dnstry upon insinuations. unverified
charges. suspicion or prejudice" "
On receip, of the statement and
petition Of the lumber men, President
lra'' rqserIqi tie compislrl to Sccre-
tary NAgel sho firaished(the Presi-
dent with a reply This reply states
the position OF the administration In
the matter The lumber manufae-
turers. upon receiving the letter from
the Secretary of Commerce made an
other appeal to the President. saying:
We hope, Mr. President, notwith-
standing the present attitude of the
administration. as expressed by the
Honorable Secretary, that YOU will
promote the prompt justice asked
for bV body OF the citizenship now,
as they verify believe misunderstood
and grieyously maligned "
IN the petition reference is made
10 the fact that while the Department
.1f Commerce and Labor made pub
.lic February o., 1911 a partial re-
port on the lumber industry. IL re-
lated only to the private ownership
of standing timber in the United
states and advanced only one Of tho
reasons for the alleged high price OF
lumber that this partial report ig-
.noral the request ~ congress 20 re-
peat particularly as to the existence OF
combinations ETC.. in restraint OF
trad, and therefore failed 10 give the
lumber producers the verdict which
they asked for 40 q conference with
the President, Secretary Nagcl. and
/ Commissioner Smith In Washington,
January -. 1910.
Prices OF lumber az the mills"
SAYS tho petition advanced during
the seven wears from lS99 TO 1906.
about thirty-eighi per cent This cor
responded with the advance in other
commodities which enter so greatly
into the cost OF lumber. and in part
othe increased values Of stumpage
Prices 20 the consumer in some
sections OF the country remote from
Iiumbcr-producinE sections. advanced
probably In still greater proportion
due IN part 10 the exhaustion OF near
supplies. making necessary the pay
ment OF greatly increased transporta-
tion charges
Notwithstanding these sufficient
reasons II is charged and seems TO
have been commonly believed that
the increase In prices at the mills
was due 10 the existence OF controll-
ing combinations or agreements CON-
monty known as trusts and that the
lumber trust vas and Is az oppres-
sive entity"
The petition then SAYS that respon-
siye to public charges Congress adopt
ed resolutions for an Investigation OF
| the lumber business. Attention A..
particularly called 10 the fact that
the resolutions required that the In
yestigation should be conducted with
the particular object" OF ascertain
Ing the existenceof any combination.
conspiracy, trust. agreement or con-
tract in restraint Of commerce.