New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-20
AGREEMENTS WITH THE AGENTS.

MR. BURN ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE NATIONAL WALL PAPER COMPANY
MR.. FLINT THE CHIEF WITNESS
Senator McCarre1, of Brooklyn. was the first
member Of the investigating committee to arrive
yesterday morning. but he was preceded by James
r. Ford. vice-president Of the United States Rubber
Company, and Charles r. Flint treasurer of the
same organization. Mr.. Flint and Mr.. Ford went
into executive session soon as they entered the
council chamber and there they remained until
Senator Lexow mounted the high seat. This was
not until nearly half hour after the time set for
the opening of the session. the Senator from Nyack
being later even than usual Henry Burn. presi-
dent Of the National Wall Paper Company. who
was on the stand at the hour of adjournment on
Thursday afternoon. called again as soon as
Senator Lexow had taken look at the stenogra-
piers report of the testimony given on the pre-
ceding day. He was first asked for a copy Of the
factors agreement" which he had been request
ed 10 furnish. This he produced, with the re-
mark that he did not call 1t factors agree
ment He said II was merely a contract with the
agents who dealt in the products of his company.
Senator Lexow looked over the document. and
then said: According this paper. you prohibit
ed your agents from dealing in the goods of other
companies
That is a fact" said the witness.
HAS that stipulation always been a part OF your
agreement with your agents"
Not until the last year"
"Tha, is to say. not until you had forced the
jobbers out of business?
at is not true that we ever drove jobber out
Of business "
But YOU did not make this clause a part Of the
agreement until you had driven competition out OF
the market"
I'VE did not drive competition out OF the market
IBID you not give the jobbers the option Of deal
fng solely in your goods Of going out of the bust
..You know Mr. z. B. Smith,!
Yes" ,.,.u 90 hin,
rs 1, not fact that you gave this option 10 MN.
ga, he ,vas 10 sell your goods exclusively or you
would drive him out OF business!
1T is not fact .,ous. ha
mid YOU not refuse to sell him goods because he
bought some goods Of other companies!
We did not. ,,,. ,nd
closed II up. did you not?
yes but 1t was done
please answer the question .,
.,ya bought Mr. Smiths establishment anu cioSeu
II for good reasons: -, ,,or,, with
Can you remember ha'ihs u9"''
other establishments?
NO SIR" ,o.
.you are prepared to swear 10 this
- aOf course-to the best OF my recoilecuon. =,
, "Dont you remember forcing o'ne' ~
business as YOU did Mr.. Smith!
,,or,s NOT WISH WORDS PUT IN HIS MOUTH.
az don't remember forcing anybody Out OF pus'
- ;. a,orted the witness II do not wish 10 nave
10 M, IN nv mouth. should like 10 nave '''e
name Of ANYBODY we ever forced out Oh ou 'l,'ess
In the case of Mr.. Smith, he wen. OUT u ~ roc
against our advice. He was va, Largest
since said that he is sorry ne oio IT, a,,,,o
competitor remained III ou'
to-day" ~ discounts to
jobbers didn't YOU?
Yes, SIR. . ,,, out ~ husi.
ntss?'
NO sir"
why II done' LII, ONLY two or
.To win the favor Of the pubic ors
three OF the jobbers went out Oh ou <.or;es
The uitness admitted that ten OF inc ,,ao
~ - ,,h,r two years after the consonoa-
49,, 49,. 80 ..,d that they were closed because ~
ws,a making an inferior quality Oh eo0"' IN .
amount OF labor was reduced OH! ~ pc. -or. nov
added that the employees retained rece'eu 49, ~.
on Tho average after the consoilda"on '"a' -
o' inc o 40, wages were reduced In one or
,o ,.,arces hit only at the request Oh '.io
unions which demanded a uni1oi I'll Sc"'o -. =,
q He denied that there was seho' To-. mi, ordoa
!, wages al, along the line in the year i''' -, ard
Y Mr., Burns testimony for the .ilne oa,,ed 70
ch.r,.s Flint of the Rubber trust w"s ~. :,
oharies ~ ri. -. remained nearly all the rest oil
the stand. where ne re""
the day. ,. tho data asked
,or nv the committee on the DAY pe, cvunan,
.,.asurer OF the United States f'uoo. 49,, aos,reI
la ba was unable TO procure "O' ~,so,
Saour,op,s He presented. however io' :,
80 81. conv handed the committee VII ,.,o.
-. a. o,1,nai report Of the summons -, onr,
x,h annraised the values OF the sei ,1 Cor,
-. ohsorbed by the United STATES "
+. pany in 1892 49,. Mr. Flint proved thu
-, nn,ertainng witness for the speo'.,,,,,.,
s, ,he Council Chamber. but nc :
49,, =. ~. enlightenment OF the commute.
vs. a,most impossible to extract 80, 80
.n,,ar N any question. He was appa'. !,
.,,a,,, ANXIOUS TO accommodate the commute "
80 ossibIe way but when he began 10 a,'s"
a.,,n, a. was impossible to say just ""ee "
ror,d s,on and the beginning OF MS ahs"ei :"
.,,o,a.a IN the rnists OF the dim past pe'o'e "
had reached the end Of It. Some OF MS rep'i. -
,nroh ute that of the man who wheh aske" IL
the losn NJ a tackknife. RESPONDED thal ne ia" "
,sckkrife but that "he had RED vest NJ "o'"e
his trunk ,.s ., Lro,
The 6rst thing Senator Lexow wished 10 kno'
was now much the Simmons Committee receive
for t,s services: but the witness didn't know ina
The minutes Of the committee which purchased IN
properties had never been given TO the UNITE
States Rubber Company
.-r Aren't these data accessibleF asked Asse"o''
man Warner a,
II don't know where they are" answered M
Flint.
I'VE do not desire to pry into private aHairs'
said Senator Lexow. What we wish - 10 asce
tain whether the stock watered"
HOW THE STOCK WAS ISSUED.
TT was not" said Mr.. Flint. THE stock we
issued by the directors at par and according 10 u