VOL. 14, NO. 7
14
The Commoner
I
m
ft
m
sire lobby In Washington to defeat a reduction
of th$ tariff on lumber.
B. Th wholesalo prices of lumber aro. given
In olabor&te tablos and tbo courso of prices Is
graphically shown by numerous charts; a close
correspondence is generally shown between the
prices actually obtained and the list prices issued.
From 1897 to 1907 there was a remarkable
advance In lumber prices, ranging from 80 to
200 per cent. Whilo a largo part of this ad
vance was duo to conditions of supply and de
mand and to general causes that affected the
pricos of all commodities, a part of it was un
doubtedly duo to tho concerted offorts of lumber
manufacturers.
Boforo 1906 concortod activities woro openly
promoted by associations as part of their official
work, and instances of agreements written or
oral to maintain uniformly a certain price list,
or to restrict output, were common. Since 1906
tho mothods of combining to fix prices have been
changed. Tho written agreement has usually
boon discarded, and a variety of now methods
have been adopted to carry on, in essentials, tho
practices ostensibly abandoned by tho associa
tions. These changes woro admittedly due to
fear of tho enforcement of fedoral and state anti
trust laws:
Tho evidence clearly shows not only com
binations intended to increase tho market price
of lumber, but there Is abundant evidence to
warrant tho conclusion that, as a result of at
tempts at artificial control, prices have beert
higher than they would have otherwise been.
Indeed, this was asserted by officers of some
associations prior to 1906 and used as an in
ducomont for their support and for increasing
thoir membership. That the lumbermen them
selves believed in the success of these efforts
is shown by tho fact that after tho alleged
abandonment of cortain practices in 1906 they
woro continued in virtually tho samo form, by
subterfuge and Indirection.
Tho facts revealed by this investigation indi
cate a serious economic and business problem.
Not only lumber producers but manufacturers
in many other industries and also wholesale and
Totall dealers in many lines of business have
associations similar in character to those of tho
lumbermen. Part of tho work done by tho
lumber associations is of a nature which bene
fits tho lumber industry and does not injure tho
public. On tho other hand, their activities in
fixing prices and in restricting output have
profited tho lumbermen at tho expense of tho
consumer.
Tho problem then is, how shall associations
such as these bo permitted to exercise functions
that are legal and proper- without perverting
them into instruments of wrong or usurping
wrongful functions? It may bo both proper and
dosirablo for producers in any lino of business
to establish standard grades, to collect and pub
lish information as to output and current prices,
and to cooperate in various proper ways for tho
common advantage; but it should be pointed out
that tho standardization of grades is the first
step to price fixing, that tho collection of infor
mation as to output, facilities, the curtailment of
production, and that cooperation for harmless
purposes affords a convenient basis for com
bination in restraint of trade.
BUREAU OF NAVIGATION
Secretary Redfield and Secretary Cormack, of
the New York Yacht club, had a conforenco in
tho latter part of May to make preliminary ar
rangements for the international yacht races for
tho America's cup on September 10, 12 and 15
off Sandy Hook. It has been agreed that, as the
success of tho races depends upon a clear course
only one press boat, as in previous years, wili
be allowed within the lines, early notice being
given so as to allow the press associations and
newspapers to charter a suitable steamer and
to arrange for the division of accommodations
on board. Tho vessel for the purpose must be
approved by the secretary of commerce and the
Now York Yacht club. Special arrangement
will bo necessary this year to insure the success
lul transmission of wireless bulletins from tho
courso during the progress of the races and to
prevent the interference with the necessary
daily commercial service that would result from
tho indiscriminate use of wireless. Accordingly
wireless messages relating to the races durinc
their progress will be restricted to tho wireless
apparatus on the press boat. The press -in .1
wireless will in all respects be under the control
of an officer of tho government, and Sewetarv
Hedfield will ask Secretary Daniel 5 dXS
Captain W. H. G. Bullard, U. S. N superin
tendent of tho naval radio service, for this pur-
PTho New York Yacht club has suggested, to
meet the public desire this year on both sides of
tho ocean for moving pictures of the races, that
one vessel be allowed within the lines for this
purpose. Secretary Redfield has adopted this
suggestion and tho regulations will provide for
one such vessel, which in all respects during
tho races will bo under the control of an officer
of tho government.
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE
That branch offices of the bureau of foreign
and domestic commerce are of great assistance
to American merchants and manufacturers who
are interested in foreign markets for their goods,
is evidenced by tho reports covering the work
for the month of May in the four branches which
have so far been established. These branches
are at New York, Chicago, New Orleans, and
San Francisco.
Each branch has in tho course of compilation
an index of tho exporters in the district repre
sented by it, tho names being secured by tho use
of special forms sent to, manufacturers and busi
ness houses which may be interested in export
trade. The Hats are utilized daily to distribute
tho bureau's various publications and to place
with exporting firms the confidential informa
tion relating to ".foreign trade opportunities."
Experienced commercial agents are in charge
of tho various branches and as rapidly as pos
sible they are extending their personal acquaint
ance among exporting concerns in an effort to
secure their cordial cooperation and support.
Many visitors are received, the number at the
New York office during May approximating 485,
at Chicago 167, at San Francisco 87, and at New
Orleans 33.. As time permits personal calls are
made on business concerns and associations and,
when opportunities offer, conventions and com- '
morcial organizations are addressed relative to
tho work of tho bureau and its branch offices.
Two publications, Tables 3 'and 6 of Com
merco and Navigation of the United States for
1913, prepared by the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce, are of great practical value
to the American business man seeking informa
tion regarding foreign markets for the goods
which he handles or the sources of imported raw
materials and of goods competing with domestic
products. They present details with respect to
every important article exported from, or 'im
ported into the United States.
Table 3 shows tho sources of more than 600
different classes of articles imported, which in
cludo such widely varied items as asbestos,
beads, camphor, human hair, ivory kapok rat
tans, toys, mushrooms, and zinc. It shows' also
for example, that coffee is now supplied almost
exclusively by Brazil, Central America, and
other tropical countries of the western hem
isphere; that sugar, formerly Imported in large
quantities from Java and the sugar-beet coun-
8tinEuy0pe' is now chlefly supplied by Cuba,
the Philippines, and the domestic product includ
ing Hawaii and Porto Rico; and that champagne
22S nf0?Ztantly SlmUlhhiae importation as a
f b?,rff?,dIy Ping home output.
. J t? al i6' exports of merchandise from
the United States to each foreign countrv mav
be ascertained those parts of thl wo?ld n which
our raw materials, foodstuffs and manufactures
are being successfully sold and those yet to hi
entered. Athletic and sporting goods, breakfast
foods aeroplanes, motion picture films, cement
chewing gum, confectionery and teeth aetynS
items chosen at random from the report which
also shows that we export large quantities of
nfn8!? ngland' of telephoL? to Canada
of optical instruments to Germany and Franc?,'
of stoves and ranges to Kongo and other troptad
countries, and of ico to Canada. epical
showSbTTabtnh0 of artIcle8 Ported is
Hiiown oy lablo 3 to havo increased from 1 312
million dollars in 1909 to 1,813 million in 1913.
bv TablhfterVaT,1Ueif art,Cles Ported as show3
2 42? mliU'nn ai8 1Incre?Hed from i' million tS
2,429 million dollars In the same period.
DEPARTMENTOF LABOR
LABOR DIFFICULTIES ADJUSTED
Ai?Juno 2' ,914' tclsnims woro received from
employers and employees in tho Kanawha cS?
mining district of West Virginia, staling that
differences had arisen which had caused la cessa
tion of work at the mines, affecting from twelve
to fifteen thousand employees. Secretary WU
Bon designated as commissioners of conciliation
Charles W. Mil!, a coal operator of Phil
delphia, A. L. Faulkner, an employee of tho de
partment of labor stationed at Cleveland, Ohio"
and Patrick Gilday, a member of the united
mine-workers of Pennsylvania. The conciliators
met representatives of the operators and repre
sentatives of the miners in the city of Washing
ton, where hearings were held from June 8th
to 18th. On the last named day an agreement
was reached by which the check-off was con
ceded to the miners by the operators and all
other matters in dispute were to be submitted
to a commission of three members, one to be
selected by the operators, one by the miners,
those two to select a third within ten days, or
in the event of their failure to do so, the secre
tary of labor was authorized to appoint from a
list of five to be jointly submitted to him, the
third member of the commission. This agree
men was subject to ratification by the mine
operators and the miners and the latest infor
mation at the department is that the miners
have accepted the terms of settlement and are
again working.
Other controversies between employers and
employees in which the department has been
actively at work during the past month have
been the Universal Bottle Washing Machine
company strike in Detroit, Michigan, where a
conciliator of this department adjusted the dif
ferences and the men returned to work; several
controversies obtaining on branches of the New
York Central, in Michigan and other western
states, some of which have been adjusted, and
others are in process of adjustment. The tug
men's strike on Lake Erie was also satisfac
torily adjusted by a representative of this depart
ment, and a working agreement entered into ex
tending well into tho future.
DECREASE IN EMIGRATION TO CANADA
For several years the tide of emigration of
United States citizens to Canada has increased
to such proportions as to occasion anxiety among
all who gave thought to our country's well
being. For the year 1912, 97,951 American citi
zens went to Canada, while but 38,317 American
citizens returned from that country to the United
Statec.
The division of 'information in. 'the department
of labor issued a series of seven bulletins giv
ing well authenticated facts concerning tho pro
ducts, resources, and physical characteristics of
all the states and territories.
On assuming charge of the department of
labor Secretary Wilson decided that such facts
as these-bulletins contained should be made
known everywhere as well as in the United
btates and large numbers of them were mailed
to American residents of Canada. Then in
quiries began to come in concerning more spe
cific information than could be encompassed in a
necessarily brief bulletin.
??Je is ?, longer any doubt th wisdom
or this practical step taken by the secretary of
i oiJ ,Fop the eleven months ending May 31,
1914, it appears that 68,396 American citizens
went to Canada while 44,127 American citizens
returned j to this country from Canada.
; !f de of American emigration to Canada
7LSH down,29'555 in one year, while the re
Jng Ameri,ca118 numbered 44,127 in eleven
nfl8,al?nst ?8'317 the yar Previous.
n.An? i.gwfSns feature of tno tum move
ment is that these who come back to the United
fnrnfoH6', n gIeat numbers, seeking full in
to w?wfrth? deDartment of labor relative
to locating on tho land.
THE TOLLS REPEAL VICTORY
nt T?Ap!BaS.e f tolls emption 'repeal closes,
Sirnili i 5? tim? beIng' another stage in the
S? ??L 8bt ia??!S8t Drivilee. It saves the
sSSddy gmbeXP tatl0n' U heads off another
That is its domestic significance.
ahnvA h u Jhls or Perhaps it may be said
SSI niSh8 xtB national significance, for in
wltw SfPlB amendment, a device legally
SortS tK7 e' Ua presents an assurance to the
U i hnthe Anerican nation guards jealous
nntwfif0P and its reDUtation for good faith,
thin L r, V,,em t0 80 back on its bond, rather
S ,ubbe or wriggle or seek defense in
in?tntta11?' .U has bruhed aside doubts
and taken the straight course.
nnnfHnn !??,' nyolving a withdrawal from a
Sr iii a8t,1,y taken a withdrawal in the face
!;,f50lsni has been supported by American
nvl J' P!f ardlG!B of party- If in a parliament
t L T U Is a vlctory mo8t creditable to him, It
2 o deeper sense a victory of the American peo
fnl ?d Wlmay say especially a victory of and
for the middle west. Chicago Tribune.