The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1895-12-06
SCARCITY OF LEATHER.
French Government Cannot Sup
ply It's Army with Shoes.
Principal Causes of the Great Falling or
in the suppiy-No Practical solu-
tion of the Distressing
Problem.


Leather is so scanty and high of
price just now in France that the min
lister of war is greatly perplexed over
the question of how to secure the nee
essary footwear for the great num-
Der of men which that nation keeps
continually in readiness for its defense.
Not only this, says the New York
World, but sufficient supply of leather
for the saddles, harness and other fur
nishings of the cavalry and artillery is
lacking.
When the government invited bids
recently for the equipment of the
troops with shoes and horse furniture
the only contractors who dared make
an offer demanded so high figure that
their propositions were rejected, and
those who have yet contracts to fill for
these articles are seeking every means
possible to break them, fearing thai
ruin will be the result if they are COM
PEELED to carry out their agreements.
Hides have doubled in price since the
beginning of the present year. This
unusual state of affairs in the leather
trade was thought at first to be the re-
suit of corner in the market, but it
has since become evident that the re-
mar1able scarcity in that commodity
is produced by variety of simple and
natural causes.
Three of the principal reasons for
this dearth of leather are: The recent
war between China and Japan, the
many revolutions and bloody conflicts
in the South American republics and
the scarcity of fodder and pasturage
owing to the unfavorable weather of
last year and the year before in the
countries of the world from which the
principal supply of hides comes.
The catastrophes of the climate and
OF war in South America, although
serious enough in themselves, would
not alone have been sufficient to bring
about the present state of affairs. 1t
is the war between China and Japaa,
which is more directly responsible for
the dearth which now prevails. When
war was declared japan placed large
contracts in the United States for the
equipment of its infantry and cavalry
with footwear and other furnishings.
To fill these promptly the contractors
in this country bought up nearly all
the visible supply of leather suitable
for that purpose.
Since the war closed Japan has sent
new orders of equal Importance to the
merchants here for fresh supplies of
shoes and military trapping,, and the
markets have been swept bare to fill
them. The price of green" hides has
therefore risen SO high that the tanners
are buying as little as they can, and
large percentage of the tanneries
throughout the world are closed.
In France especially the wholesaia
manufacture of shoes is in deplora-
BILE state Generally the product of one
season is made up to sell the next, but
owing to the high prices prevailing this
year for the necessary raw material a
great number of the shoe factories are
closing and throwing out of employ
ment large number of workmen.
An immediate and practical solution
OF the question seems impossible. The
crisis has not yet been reached, and
the ultimate outcome will be interest
ing to notice.