The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-17
Thousands OF Statesmen Dismissed
and Salaries OF Those Retained Re.
duced About s1 900 q Year.
OFFICE FORCES ALSO CUT
PRICES OF TRUST COMMODITIES
RAISED TO 10 PER CENT.
Testimony Of q Sugar Refner-Two
Veto Messages by Pingree and
Slap at Combinations.

WASHINGTON, June 16.-During its aft
ernoon session to-day the Industrial Com
mission heard a statement from p. E.
DOVE, Of New York, president of the Com
mercial Travellers National League. Mr..
Dove said the opinion of the commercial
men at large was that the trusts are
menace to the community. He estimated the
travelling statesmen in the United States at
10000, saying that the census figures Of Co.
600 were grossly incorrect. The formation Of
trusts and combinations was throwing
large number of these men out of employ
ment. In giving specific instances he said:
National Enameling and Stamping Com
pany, which depends for its raw material
on the American Tin-plate Company, has
thrown a great many out of employment
and those retained have had their salaries
reduced. The great tobacco combines threw
out about 5000 statesmen; the Continental
Tobacco Company telegraphed the discharge
of $50 in one day. The Baking Powder Trust
has dispensed with all excepting half a
dozen men. 1 know OF two statesmen dis
charged by the trust VINO were formerly
in the employ of the Cleveland Baking
Powder Company, one receiving a salary of
5000 a year and the other $500. Their
routes, with those of other discharged sales
men. re covered by one agent at SIS a
week. bicycle trust will throw out GOO
statesmen gradually and will cut down
agencies In every city. The chair trust will
affect Immediately more than 500 statesmen
by cutting them out OF the line. One man
writes me the Union Bag and Paper Com
pany has thrown out of employment hum
dreds of statesmen.
"The number of statesmen out OF work
because of the United States Rubber Com
pany is 800; the statesmen retained have been
reduced to a salary averaging. so / am in
| formed, $3.50 year. The American Tin
plate Company cut off about 30 out Of every
100 statesmen. The American Steel and Rod
Company, have been told, discharged 800
| commercial travellers in one day. In giving
| these estimates 1 am not considering the
office force thrown out through trusts. The
sugar and coffee monopolies have thrown
| out 1000 statesmen; average reduction in
salary of those retained, $1,000 a year; 20
| per cent only of the old force only being
retained In house position. The Standard Oil
| Company employs fewer statesmen than any
| other concern in the mercantile world of
one-half its capital.
PRICES RAISED.
4
raised the prices Of the commodities they
controlled from to 100 per cent. in almost
every instance, except coffee and sugar. In
these they were still fighting for control
of the field. He said his figures in this
line were absolutely correct, being from re-
liable commercial acquaintances. The ex-
| amples he gave were: Iron pipe, over 100
per cent; tinware and enameled ware, about
hra he
chair trust, just formed, will advance prices
30 per cent. Rubber overshoes Omitted
| States Rubber, Company will advance prices
| 14 per cent. on July /. The American Tin
plate Company advanced prices something
like 30 per cent; newspaper "a to n per cent.
pound. but further advance in prospect;
book papers, to 10 per cent, and an ad-
vance is expected in writing paper In COM
mon soap there has been an advance of 25
| to 80 cents a box. FIint-glass bottles will
/ be advanced 10 per cent or more. Jobbers
| and manufacturers of clocks have advanced
| the wholesale prices on account of the ad-
vance of metals GO per cent. All metal
| goods have been advanced: brass pins, Is
per cent; pipes and brushes, 121a per cent
| combs, ~ per cent, and ribbons, 10 per
cent. School furniture has gone up. as well
| as paper bags and wrapping paper.
The umbrella trust failed four years ago,
| but IL advanced prices while in existence,
and after its break up the return TO legiti-
| mate and healthy prices caused loss to
| the retailer through the stock on hand
This witness concluded by saying that be-
| fore leaving New York he had been warned
| by an acquaintance, lawyer, Indirectly con-
| nected with some Of the trusts that he was
doing a dangerous thing in speaking before
| the commission. as he was liable TO "be
| crushed like a caterpillar
A SUGAR REF1NER'S TESTIMONY
In the morning James III. Post OF
| Brooklyn. a member Of the Molenhauer
| Sugar Company and the National Sugar
| Company, OF New York. Mr.. Post, refer
| ring to list OF sugar prices covering the
| past nine years showed that the margin
between raw and refined sugar had fiuctu-
| ated with the revision OF the tariff and the
entrance OF competing companies in the
/ field. The standard price of refined sugar,
| he said, was fixed daily by the American
1 Sugar Refining Company. and a rule
| these prices were followed by the independ-
| ent refineries. Mr.. Post said that, as a
| general proposition, he thought the Amer
lean Sugar Refining Company had influenced
| conditions for the good of the country.
| do you think" asked Mr.. Ratchford,
''that II would be a good thing for the
| American company to be in entire control
| Of the feld?"
NO" said Mr.. Post 'T.think the entire
control OF an article OF universal consump-
ton in the hands Of any one set Of men
/ would be a very dangerous power"
"Tnat Is what the trust aims at" said Mr..
Ratchford. according to Mr.. Havemeyers s
own statement
''Ths business might get into the hands