The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-03-22
The Mall.PAner Pool.

clad rule OF formidable manufacturing
pool. Merchants who handle the pro-
duct, are compelled under forfeiture Of
heavy bond, not TO buy OF any outside
manufactures In this country, Should
any one Violate bis contract, from the
heavy dealer who is able 10 furnish the
required bond, down to the "small
fish" who purchase OF the middle'men,
he IL compelled, among other penalties,
10 pay "maSmum prices, on which
there Is no possible profit The sales
men are required 10 make oath not 10
violate the employers contract In any
particular, and the penalty Is discharge
and ineligbllity 10 a similar position
with any wallpaper firm Although
the tarilf on tho imported article, no
twenty-five per cent, i 80 low as 10
make largo profits on imporlatonS q
surety, nj much lower prices than pre-
vail on American goods, yet under tho
impositlons OF the monopoly foreign
aud home prices are ordered by tho
pool 10 remaln equal, thereby prevent
Ing outside competition, The penalty
for undorselllng American goods 10 tho
forfeiture Of bond One Chicago
dealer, who Imports over fifty per cent
OF the foreign article entering the ports
Of the United States, IL placed under
$40, 900 bonds annually, lie IL obliged
10 give this bond In order tO obtain any
Wallpaper Of American make, which
comprises one-half Of bis business,
There are hfty,four firms In the United
States which annually pay $4,000 each
10 get fifteen per cent, discount on reg
lar prices This total amount Of sl0s,.
900 pays the salaries Of the commits
sloncr and other officers, besides tho
expense OF periodical banquots Ut Dol
monicos
"The American Wallpaper Manufao'
turGrs' Association" was formally or
ganlled into u monopoly five years ago,
Prior 10 that Time IL was n pool In form,
M the manufacturers annually entered
into u combination almOstIas iron'Glad
as that which makes them subject 70
the present monarohlcal rule, Tho
word II used adyiscdly, ~ the commls.
sioner Il absolute, and from whose de-
clsion there Is no appeal, The present
cap tnl Of the pool N $4,000, 900,
Nearly all the firms composing u ARE
located In New York and vicinity and
In Philadelphia,
The pool proper comprises thirteen
names, dnsplle the supor4tlltl0n at-
tachOl 10 that number lio'ld0s those
are ten manufacturing firms which NO.
qu0sce, that IL, agree 20 all tho con-
dlilOns OF tho pool In order 10 secure It's
prices aud commlssloncr'sruling with.
out sharing It's pro rata oi profit aud
expense, One Of the acqulosolng firms
has not turned wheel since tho pool
wa formed, being paid u heavy sum
annually not 10 manufacture pNrtlclo
OF wallpaper, II Is impossible 10 as'
certain the amount OF profit on the cap
ital invested, but II may be safely ostl'
mated NJ twenty-five per cent, or two
and ono.halt million, annually The
present pooling arrangement N 10 last
till June, 1885, when, as usual In that
month, twill no doubt rcorganll0 on u
hn3lg more lrOn.rlad than before,
The lfty-lOur merchants who give
heavy bonds aud $1,000 each for per
mission 10 handle wallpaper, are al'
lowed 10 enter into the following agree
mcnt with the monopolyj
"JOhn Smith agrees that during the
continuance Of tho pool ho Will not buy,
deal In, or use IN hls business, any wall
pupcr Of American make, except that Oi
The above named manufacturers
"rhal during the continuance Of this
privilege, ho viii not sell machine
madowNll,pupor specified In his bond NJ
lower prices, or on better lCrms, than
may from tlmo 10 hc 0yod by tho com
missioner who may oioct any change In
current rates NJ hla own option,
John Smith viii require caoh and
every dealer buying goods from him "a
sign IN agreement similar 10 hls owu
with the pool llo viii not sell any
goods Of the specified classcs NJ loss
than maximum rates ~ any dealer
who has violated tho conditions Of hl'
agreement,
"John Smkh will require all sales
mon In his employ TO slgn aud swear tC
his agreements, aud II any salesman
shall Violate them, ho shall NJ ohoo b,
discharged
III, nj the time OF violation Of thl
agreement, John Smith shall have anl
untitled contracts with any Of the above
named manufacturers, for the purchase
OF goods NJ minimum prlccs, nothing
shall DO delivered him except NJ maxi
mum prices"
Those maximum prices aro offer
higher than an ordinary customer i
charged NJ retail prices II the Nh0y,
were not enough 10 convince m Amor
lean citizen that every time he makes |
purchase Of Wallpaper hc X ylcllml6od
thon the following extraordinary form
OF oath, which IA imposed on aOlosmcn
oughtto oullghtcn him,
Richard Blank, 'holng first dul,
sworn, promises on his oath aud saGrol
honor that until ho Ia released from hi
engagement by tho written release o
tho Commissioner of the American
Wallpaper Manufacturers Assocla
ton, ho will not sell or'OIlcr for sall
any Wallpapers ot the characto
specified In tho exhibit I, anncyo,
hcrolo, nj loas prices than those namo,
for such goods In said exhibit and II
tho schodnlc contained IN snid exhibit
that hc viii not scll or Offer for salo an'
forclgn.mOdc goods, or any american
Wallpapers except those made by th,
manufacturers named In agreements
that ho will not divide any cOmml 'sIou
with any purchaser or purchasers .
such goods ~ he may olcr for snlo u
m inducomont 10 such purchaser %
purchasers 10 buy such goods that h,
| will not charge OF receive any cOmmIs
sion on goods sold by him 10 himself %
any firm Of which he Is u momber, tha
| he will not offer b. pNN nor pH,
any freight on goods bought by on'
| purchaser or purchasers, that he vii
not oncr amy other pccunOly induce
/ 4. ~. /.