Omaha daily bee., 1884-01-21
THE WALL PAPER POOL,
What n Council Bluffs Dealer Has TO
Say About IL.

81 see THE BEE had, the other day,
quite an article on the wall paper
business" remarked one of Council
Bluffs heaviest dealers in that line.
"Well, what about itF'
"why, there's just this much about it.
Some of the things that we're said were
all right, but there were some other
things that were all wrong. The
article made out that there was a big
pool, and competition was choked
off, etc."
swell, isn't there such a pool2'
eyes, there is a pool. That's all right,
but then it can't control everything.
There are a number of manufacturers and
jobbers whodon't belong to the pool at all,
and the pool cannot control them. They
can sell at whatever prices they choose
and the pool can't help itself. Some
firms who were in the pool last year are
out of it this year. and some who were
out last year are in this year. If a firm
| Jhlhhb blby Chu uo DCbbSl ny BiNihB III
the pool they do 80; if not, they keep
out"
swell, what is the real truth abouttnis
pool, as you understand it,"
"Well, there is a pool, and there are
fixed prices on all pool paper. There is
what is known as the maximum price.
Anybody can buy at that, whether they
belong to the pool or not. The other is
the minimum ~price-that is for those who
buy GOO rolls, say, of one kind of paper.
Anyone can buy at the minimum price,
If he takes a quantity large enough. 1t
don't make any difference whether the
dealer belongs to the pool or not. If he
buys the required quantity he gets the
minimum price,"
"What advantage is there, then, for a
jobber to belong to the poole"
"Just this advantage: If he puts 81, 00O
cash into the pool, he is entitled to a
discount of ten per cent on the regular
pool prices. If he puts in $4,000 he
get fifteen per cent discount, and that is
the lowest that anybody canget."
"But if they belong to the pool they
cannot buy outside goods, can they2"
eyes, at least they do, and NO fuss is
made about it. Some papers, hand
made, for instance, are not considered
by the pool at all. If a member of the
pool wants to buy any outside goods he
could do 80, but what's the object2 By
getting the per cent off pool prices, he
gets his pool goods cheaper than he can
get outside goods. Besides that the
pool restrictions are off from July to
September, and you can buy or sell at
whatever prices you want o."
"Did you notice that a Chicago paper
man on being recently interviewed said
there was imposition being practiced on
the public IN regard to paper-hanging,
that people had to pay double what they
ought because the hangers have a union2'
Eyes, that may be so in Chicago, but
here and in Omaha there is no such
trouble. There is no union that | know
of. l pay my men by the week, and
know that on lots of jobs at the prices
charged here, there is no money made OF
the hanging"
"You think then that the pool doe.
not do away with competitions"
"Why, no.; 1t can't do away with i
altogether, for outside factories start ~
every year, and they can sell at wha
they please, and dealers can buy where
, they please. There are a good man.
, reasons for CHASING the pool as a monop
oily, and all that. That is all right, blu
it isn't strong enough a monopoly yet t.
control the trade and rule the market
1t simply controls the goods which ar
made by members of the pool. There i
, competition, and plenty of It,"