New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-19
THE MATcH-MAKLNG MONOPOLY.
GROWTH OF THE TRADE-THE EFFECT OF THE RE
DUCrIoN OF THE TARIFF.

| GROWTH OF THE TRADE-IHE EFFECT OF THE RI
DUCuoN OF THE TARIFF.
A penny box of matches is small thing.
five cent box Of matches is not much greater item to
the majority OF people YOu can buy box OF swedish
matches for one cent. II you extravagant ana
luxurious you get box OF American matches put
up A. if from Paris for five cents Yet In the business OF
making matches there has been much money made IN
the past five years. compared with the capital invested
as in any Industry the United states reporter had
chat recently with Charles Haskell, Chicago match
manufacturer, who said:
about three years ago, some OF the leading match
manufacturers conceived the idea of forming great
mol mr. combination Swift. OF Swift Courtney at
Wilmington Del and Barber, OF the Barber Match
Company Of Ohio were prominent IN the endcaVor'
They finally manipulated the organization OF Ds STOCK
company under Connecticut laws. to which twelve OF
fifteen large factories were at once sold. lie ne"
company proceeded to out out or buy out all
the little factories the country There was at this time
stamp tax of 81 30 per gross matches. provision
of law or a ruling Of the department gave rebate OF hVe
or ten per persons buying stamps IN lois OF Slo
600 The big combination had this leverage against
small competitors and together with faclties 1or pu-
chasing material determinations freghis. advantages
in procuring cheap labor etc. soon had the neiu eneY
10 itself Then il raised the price OF matches and began
TO pile up profits Besides paying enormous Dividends
the company bought vast OF pine lands IN the
Ontonagon region OF Michigan paying S15Oooo cash Ior
their purchase This gave 1t an advantage IN hhteHd
that kept out any new competition. 1t also bought up
all available patents matchmaking machines anu
broke mp much machinery purchased for which they mad
no
Nevertheless there was stir Of opposition H. h.
Tburber refused TO submit its exorbtant demands
and in spite of the high duty, imported largely from
Sweden He was contemplating with Nr. Thor me I'M
poraon OF full line OF machinery when hc lhiIu A",
mission work came before the country, followed ny
the tar agita Congress. The result OF subsequent
legislation to reduce the tarn on mportaoH'' anu
That was a good thing for the peoplei"
Iu the end II may be- but II the biggest thing that
happened in favor Of the monopoly by some h3pk VI
crook the company managed to clear millions Si uodIS
would like know driven ont OF business III me
early stag Of hG game y S reDorfcr sought ont
O. c. Barber, OF Ohio and asked MN ABOUT 'n' "'s
"Thcre YOU 90" he replied just like everybody else
The monOpOcs oftOday really work IN the interest % e
people and are not monOpolies at all , MI,
10 monopoly can stand except by low prices Take
the standard on Company as an example lls pon1s are
the monopoly by controlling the refining interests ~ such
hulk that its expense Of refining Is reduced 10 MINIMUM
H. business great that railroads. ii competing ~ IL
give better rates of freight In the end It can sell on
AZ lower than anybody else and have ialt MARI
OF profit remaining The people get thc oene"' Vi TINS
lower rate. It is the same with Matches ..,.,
But matches are higher nov propoflondte!y IhdH
when the stamp tax was taken on m 49,. II
"They will go down after vhilc The tax taken on
our last chance kindly knocked of the thlrty cents
and cell that much per gross less TOT months Drlo 1
!
few matches were sold Wholesale dealers were waiting
to get the benefit of the drop We bad the "hoe CouH
try TO stock up after that date -, . J.,
AT a dollar gross clear profit moro than yon made
brfOreW
Exactly" $500. ooo - ,coo ooo l..
Il understand YOU cleared 100000 or 100000 IN
| July and AUgnSt"l ,,. ,-v..- Dot.
"Our profits in July over million dollars Bu'
we are not telling the public that ,,,--.,
tat with wholesale dealer here yes crday indicated
that ricps have been declining owing to the starring up
of M match factories the country ana tie lhPol
talon OF swedish matches Tue Ihn!bes' ,JttU "
kriu,pe over swedish machinery, after the taiu vas
lowered, Mr. Thor to sweden TO make cO1tIacf5 10
tbn eUfirc srnpy of the largest factories. Mr.. II. n
uIher answering an inquiry, said his firm since july :!
md iInpored $50 of matches ana lhdt Tue sup
NV was n9dpmdtc 10 the demand Olhcg firms are I'M
pGrtinr also hut none so extensively. One wholesale
dealer who was seen said that he expected hc DldOI
| Mitch C.0mpauy TO make u sweeping reduction dier
Japuary l. 10 break down the new nome tOhPcu.hn'
the connauy recently made Oycruros 10 the lcdNy IN
nortfrs for combination that should control Ooth 10
nestle ana imported matches, but unable to cosun
] ffn v1a