The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-07-20

| contrary TO pfeulcGlOnS, we DOM
produced and consumed more salt
from 1895 to 1897 than ever before, as
is shown by the following table of pro-
duction and imports:
| (In barrels of $50 pounds each.)
Domestic Net Total
Year. Production. Imports. COMPTON
1890 -. $780, 91 1,S20,427 1867, AIS
1891. -. 9,9S7,945 1,67S, 159 1866, 104
1892. IL ;G9S, $50 1,614,S1 1898, 706
1893. Ii 1897, 2OS 1,224,O2 ID, 121 1923
1894. .12, 9GS,417 ISL, 792 II, 4S0. 200
1895. -. ID, 660,649 1,760,115 1868, 764
1896. Ii, $50, 726 1,795,223 1865, $40
1897. Ia, 913, 2O2 LABS, 1888 17,412, 04O
1898. Ii, G12, G34 1,3O7,972 1899, COG
| The average net factory price for all
| kinds of salt (about one-half of which
is common fine salt), according to the
United States geological survey, was
3G4 cents per barrel in 1894, SO cents in
1895, 29.2 cents in 1896, 30S cents in
1897, and 1873 cents in 1898. The"net'
price means the price of the salt alone.
The cost of the barrel adds about 20
cents, though much coarse salt is not
sold in barrels.
The present price of factory filled"
dairy salt at works in Michigan is
IS cents as against So cents, or less, in
1896. The Chicago price is now 75
cents. The New York city price of
same grade salt from western New
York is $1.40 as against 81 to $1.10 in
1896 and 1897. Prices OF salt in many
middle and western States are now
nearly double those of 1896.
In 1897 many manufacturers asked
to have the Mckinley duty on salt re.
placed. Over forty pages of the tar
if hearings of 1897 are occupied by
the statements of the manufactures
who wanted duties and of the import
tiers, meat packers, etc, who wanted
free salt. The manufacturers in 1894
stated that the repeal Of the duty
would not make salt cheaper, and in
1897 that the replacement of the Nc
kinley duty would mot perceptibly"
add to the cost of salt. Yet for some
indefinite and unexplained reason
they wanted the duty and could not
continue to live much longer without
it. They got the duty and immediate
ly began to fix prices and to form II
trust which has quite "perceptibly"
advanced prices.
The salt manufacturers have always
had an affinity for selling agencies and
price agreements. In 1866 the Michi-
gan manufacturers were uniting. The
Michigan Salt association began in
1876, 1t takes the product of all MEM
bers and sells it, thus avoiding much
competition. 1t has been renewed
every five years since 1876, and has
generally controlled about 80 Ter cent.
of Michigan's product, which Is one.
third of our total product. Since 1890
New York has produced more salt
than Michigan, and the two States
now produce 20 per cent. of our pro-
duct.
Other similar selling agencies were
in operation in New York and Ohio,
and each had alliances and agree
meDts with the others. As, however,
previous to 1898, but little was done to
restrict production, the permanent eff
feet upon prices was not great.
On March 90, 1899, the National
Salt Company, New Jersey concern,
was incorporated with $12, 0OO, 900 cap
ital, So, 900, 900 of which is per cent.
preferred stock. 1t Immediately &C.
quired the dozen or more manufact-
tories in New York, for which it's pre-
decessors, the National Salt company
of West Virginia, was the distribut-
ing agent. Those plants were said to
manufacture 80 per cent of New
York's product and to have made net
profits 10 1893 OF mot less than $780,
0O0" BY October this company had
purchased many of the best plants in
Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and
Kansas, had leased other plants for
five-year periods and had contracted
for the output of other plants. Thus
the Pomeroy, Ohio, district the trust in
appears to have bought and closed
one plant, closed three other plants,
which it had dead rentedn for five
years, and contracted for the output
OF three more plants. In Michigan it
has contracted for the product of the
members of the Michigan Salt COM
pany.
The prosecuting attorney for Meigs
county and the encouragement OF
Ohio are proceeding against this trust
to test it's power to own and close fur.
naces which have been running for
thirty years.
The United Salt company, an Ohio
corporation of 1890, appears to have
been the local trust wdich prepared
the way for the National company.
Both Of these organizations are said
to be Differed by Standard Oil peo-
pie. and to be, practically, adjuncts
of the Standard Oil trust. The head
quarters at New York are in the build
ing of the Standard Oil company and
Standard Oil attorneys in Ohio are
defending the National Salt CON-
pany.
The National Salt company now has
a natural monopoly in many of the
inland States and an artificial tariff
monopoly in many of the coast States.
1t has only recently begun to limit
production and to put up prices in the
middle and western States. 1t will,
undoubtedly, soon put up prices to
what it considers the maximum profit
point. 1t is said to have had an "un-
derstanding' with the Salt union,
which controls much of the Great
Britain's product. 1t is difficult to
verify this statement, although New
York salt importers admit that there
are friendly" relations of some kind
between these organizations.
Our importe salt comes principally
from Great Britain, West Indies and
Italy. The cost of transportation
from Liverpool averages about SLIGO
per ton, or 20 cents per barrel. This,
added to the duty, gives our manu-
facturers an advantage in our mark
cts of about 20 cents per 100 pounds,
or so cents per barrel. This advan-
tage is less on the coast and greater