The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-11-12
Two Supply Houses Will Sell Goods
To All Applicants.
PACIFIC HARDWARE COMPANY AND
HONOLULU IRON WORKS STEP OUT
Both Firms Refuse to Break the Law But Victims of the
Illegal and Graspins
Combine.

Understanding that the directors of the
Pacific Hardware Company had been con-
sidering the action and status of the com
pany relative to the plumbing trust. a rep
resentative OF this paper sought on Sat
urday last to know their conclusions AMI
intentions An officer Of the company re-
Piled that he did not think the paper had
given them a fair deal in the matter; that
there were two sides TO every question.
and the dealers side had not been given.
Upon being assured that the columns Of
the Advertiser were open to any state
ment that he might desire TO make, he
said:
"The Pacific Hardware Company has
not heretofore dealt to any extent in
plumbing supplies. but when IT became
evident that the connecting up of the sew
ers would require large amount of ma
terial. we decided TO go into the business.
The plumbing goods trade in the United
states is almost exclusively under the
control OF "a National Association, operat-
ing under the so-called Baltimore
Rules" one provision Of which Is that
| the dealers shall not sell direct to the
was explained TO us that this concentrat-
ed the business. allowing a fair and as
lsured profit. and prevented ruinous COM
petition ia which no one would make
Ianything. We had no intention of en-
laoling the plumbers to make combna-
ton to cinch the public, and do not be-
llieve that they have done so. Neither did
we dream that we were doing anything
lin violation OF law. The plumbing goods
/ trade in the States Is carried on under
these rules: II u can be done there, why
not here?
since this subject came up here in the
Ipapers we have taken legal advice. anC
lhave been advised that the United State:
lanti-trust laws prohibit discrimination
between purchasers. and require that We
Should sell to all who ask for the good:
who are able TO pay therefor. This beint
the case. we certainly do not intend e
violate the law. and in consequence W.
lare now ready to sell any plumbing goods
which we have 10 anybody who has tn
money TO pay for them. I desire to sa!
this however. that having made an agree
ment with the plumbers, we propose u
live up to 70 as far as the law allows. W.
lido not want outsiders TO buy plumbing
goods OF us. do not solicit their trade
land will only sell to them " they demand
lt We take this position, not for tn
purpose Of discriminating against tn
lconsumers but because we cannot he'll
Yourselves All OF the plumbing good
manufacturers in the United States hav
formed an association. which has made
lrule that no goods shall be sold TO an
IdoaIer unless the dealer agrees to sell I
plumbers only. on the other hand. tn
master plumbers have formed union
lone Of the rules of which Is that the
will buy no goods from any dealer II h
lsells to any one except a master plumber
1--WE are therefore between the devil an
the deep sea
Under these trade rules we can Meth
Ter buy goods. or. having bought. canno
lseu them. except we sell only to maste
plumbers. Now the law steps In and say
That N we do not sell to others we ar
liable TO fine and imprisonment Neithe
1.-The Manufacturers nor the Maste
plumbers Associations have as yet bee
fully extended to Hawaii. the presen
status being simply an understandin
laiong the lines above given; am In hope
THAT something may be done which wi
lbe fair to ALL but what the outcome WI
lbe Is more than I can tell"
one OF the managing members Of IN
IUonolulu Iron Works made statemer
Ia, an Advertiser representative on Sai
Irrday as to the knowledge and conne'
ltion OF the Honolulu Iron Works with n
lso-called plumbing trust. His statemer
, Twas In substance as follows:
The Honolulu Iron Works has II
Years imported and dealt generally
steam and water pipe, lead, faucets ar