The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-12-31
OF LEATHER
French Government Cennot Sup
ply It's Army With Shoes
Fxaaclpal Ceasss ~ the Great Failing on
b ta~ 1applyANo FEaetical 1ota-
.,.,sSt5I 41ea Of the DISTRESSING 3si s'Bs

Leather 10 20 scanty and high OF
price Just now in France that the min
ister Of war Is greatly perplexed over
the question Of how to secure the nec-
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. :. .s,3- :
When the government invited bids
recently for the equlpmentT OF the
troops with shoes 'and horse furniture
the only contractors, who dared make
IN offer demanded so high figure that
their propositions were rejected, and
those who have yet contracts to I'LL for
these articles are seeking every means
possible to break them,Y fearing that
ruin will be the result il they are comr
PEELED to carry out their agreements.
Hides have doubled IN price since the
beginning Of the present year. This
,unnsual state of lsnais IN thesleather
trade WAS thought ut. first to be the re-
suit of q corner in the market, but it
has since Become evident that the re-
markable scarcity in that commodity
Id produced by . variety Of simple and
natural couses. yTsy9 = ~3s' = .c's
J. Three of the principal reasons for
this dearth of leather ares The recent
war between China and Japan, the
many revolutions and bloody conflicts
e., A.. SH1.,%h A.n,.s>~nt ,,n,>,, ii a. s.,,<3
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 Japan
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. h1A s-Hl7ti nht
~ Since tho war closed Japan has sent
new orders of equal importanee,to the
merchants here for fresh; supplies of
shoes and military trappings and the
markets have been swept bare to fill
them. The price of f'tgfeen" hides has
therefore risen so high that the tanners
are buying as little aAthey can, and q
large percentage Of the tanneries
throughout the world are closed. .s;j !
In France especially the, wholesale
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 q
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. ,l 81 =s5 G.g