The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-18
SOME SPARKS FROM FLINT.
HIS EXAMINATION RESUMED DIR
ING THE EARLY PART OF
THE DAY.
MANAGED TO STRETCH A POINT
Rubber Trust Tells the Public n LIT
tie About It's Business, But
Not Very Much.

legislative committee ON trusts was
continued today. Mr.. Flint is treasur-
er OF the United States Rubber com
pany. He explained that the capital
lzation of the companies consolidated
by the Rubber Trust was as follows:
Elkan & Candee Rubber company Of
New Haven. $500, 900; the Goodyear Me-
talllc Rubber Shoe company, 81 ,OO0, 900;
Meyer Rubber company, Of New
brunswick, N. J.. 5000, 900; N. w. Rub
Der company, 100000; New Brunswick
Rubber company, 100000; American
Rubber, company, Cambridge Mass.
900; Boston Rubber company, of
Boston and Chelsa, 100000; Lycoming
Rubber company ,s40O, 900; Rubber Man
ufacturing company, $3OO,O O0
Though repeatedly questioned, Mr..
Flint would not make an admission
that he was the head of the rubber
combination. Witness said that when
he accepted the office Of treasurer Of
the Rubber company, he found that
certificates were issued in accordance
with the law, and that eminent coun-
sci had been consulted in every move,
and transaction. Asked if he had
brought the books Of the company, and
other data called for yesterday, Mr.
Flint said he had telephoned to the
office Of the company and done every
thing possible to procure the desired in
formation, but had not succeeded. He
however. produced the certificate of
organization, which was handed to
Senator Lexow.
DO you mean to be understood as
saying, as treasurer Of the company
you have never made an effort to dis
cover whether proper price had been
paid for the properties, and for which
$26,000,00 was issued.
THE papers were not accessible to
me. The appraising committee were
men Of the highest standing, and I put
the utmost reliance upon their report.
In reply to another question, witness
said that the report referred to was
slowed away in the archives of the
company in New Jersey.
Senator Lexow accused the witness
Of drawing fine hairs" and demanded
Eyes or no" to the question as to
whether or not H. B. Hollins & COM
pany, bankers, had distributed the stock
through the regular channels. Mr.
Flint went into elaborate explanation,
but was brought to halt by the chair
man, who said:
You are explaining to much"
What companies were you interest
ed in directly?" asked the chairman.
After more squabbling, the witness
admitted that he had been interested
in the LycOming Rubber company, but
could not recoIiect to what extent.
Senator Lexow continued:
rs it not fact that the United
States Rubber company paid the bank
ers a commission Of 21a per cent for
selling the stocks of the various COM
panies?"
The witness hesitated, and Senator
Lexow, pounding his desk, said:
Cant you answer yes or no?"
81 can ascertain said the witness.
WAS it not 0,000?"
81 think it was that amount" the
witness replied slowly.
Mr.. Flint said he had no knowledge
that the president of the New Bruins
wick Rubber company received an
order for the manufacture of a certain
brand Of rubber, but nevertheless had
closed down the concern, and d;scharg-
ed the employees.
do you know that at the time you
discharged these men and closed this
factory, the United States Rubber COM
pany purchased the Colchester factory,
closed that down and threw 300 men
out Of emplOyment?'
81 don't know"
Did not the New Brunswick factory
in the dead Of winter in 1895 throw
all its employees out Of work, when it
was. offered a contract to produce what
Is known as third rate goods?"
Il don't know"
Mr.. Flint said that the United States
Rubber company is producing better
goods at a much smaller cost, adding
that the wage scale Of it's employees
had not been reduced nor laid off any
time. The witness subsequently denied
having purchased the Colchester plant.
but admitted that it was purchased by
Hollins & company, New York bankers
Speaking Of trademarks, Mr.. Flint
said that the consumer relied for
quality and durability on the trade
mark which has stood the test Of
guarantee for fifty years. Today the
American wage-earner is enabled to
sustain his rate Of wages by the ex-
istence Of superior organizations Of
manufacturers. / think the only way
in which wages can be kept up is by
the Capitalization Of manufacture, and
the economy which results from su-
perior organization in connection with
labor saving machinery. By means Of
Capitalization the American wage
Garner can compete with cheap coun-
tries like China and Japan"
Asked how 1t was that the United
States Rubber company almost dou-
bled the price Of rubber shoes since
1898, witness said he was unable to
Qxn1oin and r1airnad tho
pany he represented turned out the
best shoe in the country today. In
order to give Mr.. Flint an opportunity
to provide the books and data re-
quired by Senator LeXow he was ex-
cused until tomorrow morning.
William I. Walker, treasurer Of the
soda syndicate, which was incorporate
ed July 1, 1896, with a capital stock of
100000, was examined. Witness said
that the business had been limited
principally to the states of New York
and New Jersey, but that business in
the soda trade had been conducted in
every state in the Union. There are
six stockholders in the concern, all of
whom are the officers Of the corpora
ton.
"If the jobber sold the commodity at
five cents g. pound instead Of 5k cents.
is it not true that you would deprive
the jobbers Of his rebate?'
''It is. We make no difference in
the matter of price in every state of
the Union"
Assemblyman Biddell handed witness
copy Of the jobbers' agreement for
yerification, and it was identified as
ment. 1t showed that If the jobbers
did not secure the schedule price they
were deprived Of the regular rebate
allowed. The witness said that the re-