The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-04-07
LUMBER INDUSTRY
GROWING STRONG
FORESTRY CLUB AT UNIVERSITY
HEAR TWO ABLE ADDRESSES
AFFECTING TIMBER INDUSTRY
History of Lumber Association Given
Prominent Timber Man Discussed
the Tax Problem

| At their regular meeting, Monday
evening the Associated Foresters were
again favored with a program especial
| ly interesting and valuable to those
at all interested in forestry and the
lumber industry. A very able paper
on 'The Association and It's Relation
to the Lumber Industry" was read
by A. w. Cooper, secretary of the
Western Pine Manufacturers Associa-
tion and was followed by a brief dis
cussion on TAX Matters of the Lum-
ber Industry" by c. H. Fancher CT
the Milwaukee Land company.
Mr.. Cooper took up the history of the
lumber association in general, show
ing the need for cooperation among
individual concerns because of increas-
ed competition as result of larger
mills, rapid settlement of new lands,
modern methods of communication
and transportation, and consequently
more distant markets. This increase
in competition made evident the lack
of a standardized product and it was
to remedy this that the first associa-
ton of lumbermen was brought to-
gether. From then on the functions OF
the association have increased in num-
ber and Importance. This first attempi
at a standardization of grades ex-
pressed or classified them in dollars
and cents, based upon price-lists OBJ
tanned from experience.
Stabilize the Selling Price
The next step was an attempt to
stabilize the actual selling price OF
the product, but these efforts proved
abortive because of the inexorable law
of supply and demand. Later the
character of lumber associations has
changed Sherman Antitrust laws and
other such agitation have made such
attempts at regulating prices rather
dangerous and lumbermen have con-
ceived the idea of improving prices by
remedying the fundamental causes,
he said. So one chief function of the
association now is to gather statistics
relative to all such causes. Transport
alton matters, protection of stand
ardized grades by use of inspecting
machines, stimulation Of demand OF
the commodity and many other mi
nor functions now comprise large
part of lumber association activity.
Vast Field for Work
Having thus discussed what associa-
tions have done and are doing, Mr..
Cooper went on to say that the possi-
bilities of the association are only be-
to be realized. The so-called
war of the substitutes" or the invas
ION into the fields where lumber was
3nce supreme by all other building
partly due to natural prog
ress but mostly to the inertia OF the |
umberman offers vast field of work |
q the association which the individ- /
1al concern could not attempt to cover
rhe general lack Of knowledge OF the
umberman of his own final product
opens field of research to the as
processes of manufacture
hould be standardized; the product
tself has yet to be standardized, the
,ublic should be educated to the pos
Utilities of wood the association I
hould be we'll organized employ
nent department; a trademark should
,e established and many other such
unctions which the association does i
lot exercise, Mr.. Cooper belives it
hould and will do.
Great Tax Problem.
Mr.. Fancher's topic was that of one
CONTINUED on Page a l.