The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-22
A Case in PoInt-Putting Up tho Price
Of Shoes-P0ols, Trusts and
the Tariff.

HOyt Co., and reads as follows:
1--WE consider it due to our customers
that we should notify them of the decided
and, without doubt, permanent advance OF
all kinds of leather and shoe materials,
which compels us to either advance our
prices or reduce the quality of our shoes.
Believing it to be for the best interest of
our customers, as we'll as ourselves, that we
maintain our reputation as manufacturers
of a high grade of goods, and improve,
rather than lower our standard, we Will
from this date, as other manufacturers have
already done, advance the prices of our
Shoes"
The McKinleyites say that the bill, which
was professedly prepared in the interest of
the workingman, will reduce his grocery
bill from II to Is per cent. a year. Beyond
this general statement they do not tell how
it will be reduced except by saying that the
duty has been removed on sugar, and that
ON the first day the Mckinley bill became
law it dropped one half cent pound in
price. Now this drop in price may be a
fact, but SO far as the Helena householder
10 concerned, this alleged reduction in price
has has not benefited him. What groceries
has the Mckinley bill reduced in price?
Not any SO far as the Helena purchaser is
aware Of. In what line is there prospect
of decline? Not any, if the opinion OF
ton. The democrats charge and have
proved that high tariff laws result in the
formation Of pools, and every grocer in
Helena knows that in no line are these
pools stronger than in the grocery business.
heretofore these grocery pools have con
bill in full operation, according to the idea
Of the Chicago iobbers, they will control
many more. Says enc of these jobbers:
The old-fashioned proprietor Of an in
FAINT industry sold his product at market
rates and then allowed the purchaser to fix
his own prices and profits. This style of
doing business is now obsolete in many
lines of manufacture. That undefnable.
intangible something that we call "the
market is no longer force governed com.
pletely by supply and demand, or even by
speculation, in the class of cases referred
to. There is no speculation IN fixing price
and profit by compact; it il a sure thing.
The output, the selling price, the discounts
and rebates all being settled in conference
or by q committee, business goes probably
on, and the manufacturer, at least. is salts
fed. W.re this the extent to which manu-
featuring syndicates interfered with
business operations wholesale arms
plain and retailers would be better
satisfied. Tho consumer would also fare
better, but he is not taken into account in
the modern school of trRdecraft. He is
bound to pay the price and have no redress.
One might suppose that the manufactures
would be satisfied to take the .jobber's
money and allow the latter to dispose of
the goods where, when and at what price he
pleased. Not so; the pool operator says:
"You must pay us 90 much for these goods
in thirty Or sixty days or can deduct the
stated discount TOR cash in ten days. II
you sell below the list price we give. You we
shall fine you 60 much for each package or
case sold and shall refuse TO sell you dol
lars worth of our product till fines are
paid" %
Some of these limited contracts provide
that tn signer shall not sell to jobbers who
have not signed the agreement, or to some
stores, who have cut the prices of the goods
in question, using them az leaders and sell
ING at or below cost by way of advertise
mont. There are variety of these con-
tracts, but all embrace the central ideas of
maintaining prices, shutting out COMPETE
satisfactory profit. In some cases the
iobber is allowed a certain per cent off list,
and the retailer has q Get price to sell at,
with q fixed discount "a profit. This
does not assure all retailers uniform profit
az one pays more freight than another. &C.
case Of soaps. where five, ten and twenty
boxes are sold. delivery is made at
price to suit territory, certain
number of states constituting dis
triot. In this way Cincinnati or
Chicago soaps are sold for more money in
Texas and far western states than in ad-
jacent territory. All dealers in a freight
district pay distance price for soap laid
down at their depots. the factory making
direct shipment, orders being turned over
to them by the wholesaler, who pays the
bill, gets his discount and collects from his
retail patron.
1.-The natural superstition is that the pool
sees that both jobbsr and retailer are al
lowed fair margin, but this ID not true, az
a rule. Some of the best advertised and
most widely sold specialties are handled by
both at merely nominal profits. The 'slim-
tied selling price" idea is not alone that OF
pools or combinations, but has been adopted
by leading individual firms. Take the great
cofe-roasting concerns, who put up we'll
known brands in one pound packages and
cabinets. They use these contracts. Prices,
however, fuctuate frequently, but jobbers
are promptly advised. and they in turn inn
mediately notify statesmen of every advance,
Baking powders, not all, but some of the
most popular brands, those SO widely ad-
vertised. are contract goods, sold under
penalty clause. These pay no profit worth
considering, except to the makers. The
manager OF one Of these companies draws
tuo pSccIucuGnA ctyA0 VI OdA0Iy, $lVsVOU
year, or did some time since, aside from
any profits he might receive as . stockhold-
en- Some firms sell their output under con.
tract and the jobber who charges more o.
less for a certain salad dressing will be cu
of from tho base of supplies. Cocoas ant
chocolates have fixed prices in most cases
and are quoted at the same figures from
New York to San Francisco. Among tn,
QiIt-edged contract articles in daily use Or,
the Ives made by the Pennsylvania Sal
company.
..Ths operations of the sugar trust an
we'll known, % 10 the litigation it is stiil in
volved in, and the cotton seed and linseet
little article - yeast cakes have made
the contract list, though owners of tn
simply az sailing prices and sgree mot ;
tract articles are most brands of condense
milk, Of which an immense quantity
sold. 30
..The oatmeal trust fell to pieces about
year ago, but Il has been revived agar
and oatmeal and rolled oats are advance
81 barrel and open and package goods I'd
trust might not have any trouble from out
duty Of one-half cent buahel to one cent
are list goodA also papes baRs for oount<
aro contSnnk. Matches are tied MP tiRhts
tbaD . dysas aad \ y nd " On VI