The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-03-16
NO VAR IN RUBBER TRUST.

Der trust being about to follow suit.
 NO JFIRI IN RUBBER TRUST.
 Charles R. Flint Says Yesterdays 15 Per
 Cent. Gut Game from Natural Causes.
 Boston, March 15-The Boston Rub Der Shoe company has just cut prices 15 per cent Advices were received here to-day that the United States Rubber company had also cut prices 15 per cent. The break is ascrbed here to differ ence that has arisen between the off, cers of the two companies. It was also said on the stock exchange that holders of large blocks of stock in this city had been asked to take up loans, and had forced their stock on the market.
 Last evenings New York Sun says: When asked to-day regarding the ru- nor of a war between the two compa- nies, Charles R. Flint president of the United States Rubber company said that the cut in prices was not the re- suit of a difference of opinion, or of concerted action, but of natural causes.
 Our relations with the officers of the Boston Rubber company have been most pleasant" he said, land there has been no disagreement between their company and ours Nor has the cut in prices been caused by large blocks of stock having been forced on the mar ket No large blocks have been sold recently, although, of course, small stockholders have put their securities on the market from time to time. Nor have any of the stockholders have been asked to take up loans
 "The real cause of the cut in prices has been the desire of the officers of this and the Boston Rubber company to produce goods at a cheaper price. AS I told Senator Lexow when he was probing into the trusts, there are two ways of conducting a business. One is to cheapen the product and enlarge the market, and also the output as result. Another is to hold up prices, and be satisfied with a restricted trade. We believe in the plan of lowering prices when possible, because we think it not only brings greater profits but also, though I didn't emphasize that point before the Lexow committee, it pre- vents outsiders from entering the busi- ness.
 Tn no sense does the reduction rep resent war between the two connpa nies. Nor is the action concerted one. There has never been any definite agreement between the two companies.
 "Why has the cut in both companies occurred at the same time? For the same reason that the price of any arti- cle, such as sugar, for instance, rises and falls uniformly. Another reason is that at this time of the year both companies make up their schedule of prices, to take effect about April 1. So that reduction having been determin- ed upon, 1t would naturally be simulta- neous in both companies.
 "This reduction has been in the air for some time. I told Senator Lexow that we contemplated reducing prices, though, of course could not definitely announce it at that time. It was not until recently, however, that the exact amount of the reduction was determin- ed.
 'The cut will affect differently the separate branches of our business, de- pending largely on styles, cost of pro- duction and amount of production. It will, however, generally cheapen the 
 two companies control 95 per cent. of the market. I wish especially to em- phasize the point that there was no concerted action on the part of the com panies, but that the same causes at work produced similar result in each company"
 WHAT THE BOSTON RUBBER CON-
 PANY SAYS.
 Boston, March 15--This morning the Boston Rubber Shoe company, one of the largest corporations in the manu- facture of rubber shoes, sent out cir cular to the trade in which reduction of from F to 16 per cent. was made from the price list of last year. The reduction was in the nature of a sur prise to the other manufacturers, most of whom are in the United States Rub Der company, popularly known as the Rubber Trust" It was taken in some quarters to mean fight on the United States Rubber company. The Boston Rubber Shoe company denies the state ment that it has withdrawn from the trust because it has never been a stock holder or member of the United States Rubber company. It has simply acted in concert with the other companies in maintaining prices and regulating the trade. A few years ago the company actt d independently of the trust" and it proposes to return to the basis of for rner years. The reduction. it is stated is not an attack on the United States Rubber company or upon its stock. The off ial statement statement made by Manager Leland of the Boston Rubber .g,E e.
 The Boston Rubber Shoe company