The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-03
A SHOE MACHINERY TRUST.
Statement by the Chairman of the
Commercial Travellers

| Commercial Travellers.
ST. LOUIS, Sept. flames W. jump
Chairman of the National Democrats
headquarters of which are in this city
and which is fighting to defeat the Re
publican party on the trust issue, saiC
today that one of the greatest monopo.
lies in the United States was one tha
affects the shoe manufacturing interests
Continuing, he said:
THE trust l refer to is known as the
| United Machinery Company, aud is a
consolidation, practically, of all the ma
ehinery now used in the manufacture Of
shoes.
The consolidation of these companies
| of course, put out of employment many
agents of the Independent concerns ans
reduced competition to so low an ebb that
practically no travelling statesmen were G.
| quired to introduce or place the machines
This company does not sell it's ma
chines. it merely leases them; out the
price paid by the manufacturer is so great
in each instance that it includes a larger
profit upon the manufacture even than if
he sale were made outright.
THE manufacturer not only does not
wn his machine after he pays for it, but
he pays very substantial royalty upon
every process, nearly. that the shoe goes
through from where the leather is cut to
the department where the shoe is turned
out as finished product
The burden of this excessive tax has
not been so noticeable because it has been
uniform. all manufacturers paying the
same for their machines and the same roy
atty. Recently however the United Ma
chinery Company has been threatened with
opposition. and this has led ii to show its
teeth after the true monopoIistic style and
If the scheme which that company now has
on foot prevails the shoe manufacturers of
this country will be reduced to mere
agents of the trust.
They (the trusp have issued a new
lease. which they are commanding their
customers to sign. This lease contains two
features which are remarkable. In the
first place they require that the lessee of
their machinery shall practically take all
of their system. or not use any part OF it.
ITO those familiar with the modern
PROCESS of shoe manufacture this is very
Significant. shoe in its journey from
the cutting room. where the parts are cut
out with knife. to the finishing room. is
subjected to many different operations re-
curing the use of numerous pieces of ma
chinery. OF course. if any of these ma
chimes are out, the system is imperfect
and shoes manufactured by modern meth
DDS impossible.
Now. while there are many machines
made by other manufacturers Of shoe ma
c]inery which are capable Of doing GER
tain operations. the United Machinery
Company is the only one which controls
complete systems
III their new leases they stipulate that
the fessees shall perform no operation
with any CT their machines upon work
which comes from machine made by an
outside company. In case the manufac-
turer should do this he forfeits his. lease
and is liable to have all of the United
machines taken out of his factory 1t
will thus be seen that the manufacturer
has no choice whatever of machines. He
may think that certain machines, made
by outside parties, are much better for
his particular use, or for the particular
operation for which they are intended,
but he is not at liberty 20 use them. II
he does the United people, by the terms
of their lease, may take ont their ma
chimes and leave him stranded.
There is another clause in this lease
which prohibits the lessee from making
any alterations whatever in the machine
He cannot take from or add any part,
no matter how much this alteration might
improve the quality Of the work, OF ac-
ceierate the speed OF the machine This
is done to keep the practical American
from becoming an inventor,
and a possible rival of the United MAJ
chnery Company. 1t is bold. death
thrust at American invention
IF an inventor of shoe machinery has
but one person. or corporation. to whom
he can take his invention when it is per
fected. he knows that he must either give 1
ii away or have it thrown aside 1t is
said now by men well versed in the lore
of shoe machinery that the United Ma
chinery Company have better things
than they have in practical
operation.
This company has been recently threat
ened with strong opposition, but up TO
this time the opposition has not been able
to get its various systems perfected, and
the United Machinery Company realizes
that now Is the time TO strike decided
blow If they expect to keep and perpetuate
their monopoly. Hence at this time they
are sending out these leases which they
hope will bind the manufacturers to them
ann Danish all hope of any practical rival
1.-The secure control of all the shoe ma
chinsry by one corporation Is the first
stepping stone to a shoe trust, for without
modern machinery no manufacturer can
in the shoe business.
1T is reasonable to suppose that as soo1
as this is accomplished the next move will
be the consolidation OF the leading shoe
factories with the United Machinery Com
pany and possibly the Leather Trust in u
gigantic shoe, leather, and machinery
trust To those who do not observe the
rapid march of events this may not sesr-
probable. or even possible, but the high,
handed demands of this machinery COM
pany leave very little doubt that any am
bilious scheme along this line may be car
cd ant