The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-05
Demand That Governments
Finding in Investigation
Be Made Public.
DECLARES GOvERv S'IrNT HAS
D0DGED 1kSs%:! s%:!''F[esAllURE
Afeer -Four Years of Inquiry Only Re-
norted on Private Ownership OF
Sanding Timber and Ignored Conn
h,nation In Restraint of Trade.

upon President Taft for pubncatlon o1
conclusions of the department OF com
nerce and labor upon its Investigation
Of the lumber manufacturing business,
ordered by congress in 1906. was made
public today by the National !I'lmoer
Manufa cturers' association. with other
correspondence between President
TAFT and the secretary Of the depart
ment Of commerce and labor.
This somewhat unusual attitude on
the part Of q great manufacturing IN
dustry ia in the form of petition
which sets forth that the delay In
reporting the findings of the depart
ment hos tended to confirm the pub
lie in the opinion that Lumber
trust" exists in the manufacturing
side Of the lumber business. and has
greatly accentuated the attacks upon
that industry. ...- -,
the United states, who are entitled to
Justice at the hands of the govern
ment, and to that justice which is
douhiy admirable II prompt" says the
memorial. petition YOU to have MADE
public at the earliest possible moment
the whole conclusion of the depart
mcnt of commerce and labor as to the
principal question put to it by the
congressional resolutions. that the
people of this country may no longer
have to depend for their opinion as
to the lumber producing industry in
situations. unverified charges. sns-
picion or prejudice"
On receipt of the statement and
petition of the lumber men. Presi-
dent Taft referred the complaint to
Secretary Nagel. who furnished the
president with reply. This reply
states the position of the administra- :
tion In the matter. The lumber man.
ufacturcrs. upon receiving the letter
from the secretary Of commerce. made
another appeal to President Taft.
saving: .,..
administration. as expressed by the ne
honorable secretary. that you will
promote the promt justice asked for
by q body of the citizenship now, as
they verify believe, misunderstood
ana grieviously nlailgned." :.
In the petition, reference Is made
to the fact that while the department
Feb. 13. 1911. partial report on the
lumber industry. it related only to the
private ownership Of standing timber
in the United States, and advanced
only one of the reasons for the al
legged high price of lumber: that this
partial report ignored the request OF
congress to report particularly as to
restraint of trade and therefore failed
to give the lumber producers the YER
dict which they asked for at con-
ference with the president. Secretary
Nagel and Commissioner Smith in
Washington, Jan. 12. 1910.
The Advance In Prices.
Prices of lumber at the mills"
saws the petition. advanced during
the seven years from 1899 to 1905.
about thirty-eight per cent. This
corresponded with the advance in 9TH
er commodities which enter SO great
ly into the cost Of lumber. and in part
to the increased value OF stumpage.
prices to the consumer in some
sections of the country remote from
probably in still greater proportion
due in part to the exhaustion Of near
supplies, masking necessary the pay
ment Of greatly increased transporra-
tion charges.
Notwithstanding these sufficient
reasons it is charged and seems to
have been commonly believed that
the increase in prices at the mills was
due to the existence of controlling
combinations or agreements common
ly known as trusts and that the lum-
ber trust was and is an oppressive
entity"
Congressional Investigation.
The petition then says that respon-
sive to public charges congress adopt
the lumber business. Attention is
particularly called to the fact that
the resolutions required that the in
vestiga ton should he conducted with
1.-The particular object" Of ascertain
ing the existence Of any combination.
conspiracy. trust. agreement or con-
tract in restraint of commerce.
he fnPfhaH
the effect Of these resolutions was in
furious to the lumber industry, the
investigation was welcomed by lum-
bcr producers who had long been
FESTIVE under the loose unfounded and
ignorant charges made against them"
and that every assistance to the in
vestigation was given.
with this active and hearty CO..
operation Of the lumber industry 1t
was felt that the inquiry should pro-
duce early results" On the contrary.
says the petition. It. was not until
Feb. 13, 1911, more than four. years
after the passage Of the resolution.
by the commissioner Of corporations.
who had charge Of this investigation
under the secretary of the department
Of commerce and labor. 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.
Speedy Action Required.
The petition closes" with an urgent
request that the Charges against the
lumber manufacturers of the United
States be as promptly brought to a
conclusion as seem likely to be those
against lumber dealers who have been
brought into court
Secretary Nasel in transmitting to
the president the answer to the lum-
bermen's complaint, says the report
Of the bureau of corporations was not
only important and relevant to tho
issue involved in the resolutions OF
congress, but that the amount Of
standing timber and the concentra-
ton Of it, ownership were absolutely
essential "a, the discussion of the
questions. involved. The secretary
says the bureau found wholly .unex-
pected and very remarkable degree
Of concentration Of standing timber,
It thus applied Q second and absolute
ly essential basic fact in the discus.
sion Of lumber. prices.
The secretary says the bureau of