Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-06-21
e.,.... =
JEWELRY Trade TRUSTS
ie''s aow the Bes,ness Is A fY.ctsS
by Monopolies.


iesis How the Bns,ness Ia A fsec,.s
by Mosopolie,.
IN reeounting the difficn,t;aa :, u
ie"eiry business a dealer said. -,
would seem that manufacturers
Dent upon minimizing the exnansas
incident to the personal adornnan, -
me lair sex II not this, they are
snre"o enough to tighten the coils ~
'nohopoiistic power chiefly about thosa
articles that are in demand for ,ha,,.
ntiiity as we'll as for their beauty A.
any rate there is no trust among the
manufacturers of jewelry proper hut
the makers OF watches and silyerware
practically seek to dictate the m;nut;o
OF our business in so far as tbosa
articles are concerned. In sucb art
'eies as rings. brooches, pins and trinlx.
e's .here Is generous rivalry among
manufacturers, which has tendad ,T
De beneficial both in enhancing o,alit,
ana IN reducing cost. The man who
Buys 1ewelry to-day OF dealer who
does not demand an exorbitant MARGIN
OF profit pays pretty nearly normal
price for what h gets.
ith articles OF utility, however
the matter Is different For four year.
the watch trust has been erewino in
power, and most dealers. especially
.he proprletors of small stores. have
been made to feel its influence. Most
Oh us had our profits greatly reduced
and not few have been run ont ot
the business. ! will venture to say
That when the Merritt antitrust bill,
was introduced into the House there
were few jewelers. in the State who
were not wishing it would pass. 81 as
to bring the needed relief The Amer
lean Watch Manufacturers Associa-
ton and the .Jobbers Association bv
system OF rules and policy of sus-
pensions and boyeotting, have held an
IRON hand over us to such an extent
that the amount Of our purchases. the
places at which we deal, the rates
at which we sell. the discount we al
low and even the time we sell an are
dictated to US. Retail jewelers. are
forced to buy of the iobbers unless
they can make a first purchase of
$1,000 net aud buy at least $40. 600
worth of goods during the year. il
they can make such purchases they
are regarded as jobbers and can profit
by he manufacturers prices, and Job
bers are discountenanted and expelled
from the trust il they sell at a lower
rate of profit than Is per cent. IL
short, the whole purpose of the trust
Is 10 keep up prices and secure patron
age to the members of the trust. In
doing this the smaller dealers are
frozen out remorselessly
lin the matter of silverware. the
trust. | think, is not so iniquitous
There are few styles in the market
however. which are not in some
way or other covered by monopo-
lies. That is one of the great
reasons why novelties in silver
come so high. 1t is one of the
latest fads for young ladies to decorate
their dresses with all sorts of fancy
pieces, the styles of which are coz
stanty changing and the prices OF
which are consequently far hey nd
the actual value Of the goods. With
watches the cases and the movements
alike come under the power OF the
trust, but with silverware it is only
the designs that the trust has control
Of While think that watches and
siIverware are much lower than they
used to be. | am certain that the min
imum price consistent with gooo
workmanship and quality is not yet
reached. and that it would be vastly
for the benefit Of the public, as also
for the dealers in jewelry, if some
scheme could be devised or law passed
by which competition could have its
natural influence and we dealers be
freed from leading-strings. ~ Chicago
News