The evening times., 1900-03-17
BRITISH WALL PAPER TRUST.
4 americnns Must Make an Agreement
in Order to Compete.

information received by the Department
of State respecting the wall paper trust IN
Great Britain indicates that the monopoly
is a strong one. United States Consul Hol-
stead. stationed at Birmingham. says:
''In report sent scme months ago. |
called atteLtiOn to the fact that combina-
tions of the kind which at home we call
trusts are created here without attracting
public attention or causing alarm. though
no trouble is taken to Feep the facts from
getting to the public; and it is rare that
one hears voice raised against trusts.
"a wallpaper combination with 29,l99,-
0C0 of capital is announced, and receives
from the London Daily Mail a newspa-
per which is very active in news gathering
only the scant attention Of a two-line head,
twenty-one lines of type set solid, and an
inconspicuOus position. The Mail article
reads as follows:
"The Association OF Wallpaper Manu-
fscturers after working jointly since Sep
tember 30, are now preparing prospectus,
and an issue OF capital will be made within
the next few days.
The company is already registered with
1000, 0G0 OF share capital, plus debent-
ures. and the new issue will probably De
Sc 100000.
Practically every maker of paper hang
ings in the Kingdom is stated to be en-
braced by the federation. including Scotch
Lancashire, Yorkshire, and London con-
GERS. The chairman of the combination Is
W. f. Huntington. late member of Parlia-
ment for the Darwen division OF Lancashire
and sheriff of Lancashire.
Many important consultations, adjust
ments and economies have already been
effected since the formation of the fedora
ton"
Consul WiIbour of Dublin, sends the
following additional details:
THE agreement requires every dealer in
wall paper to buy all stock from the COM
bination and TO sell no other for period
of supposedly ten years | understand
some dealers objected to signing for more
than one year. and some have not signed
a ALL but in the latter case they are
members of the combinations for all pur-
poses. as if they do not comply with the
requirements not to sell outside makes.
they will not be supplied with paper from
the combination. This al present would
be fatal TO their business.
Some dealers are skeptical as to the
ability of the combination to maintain
monopoly and keep prices firm. The prices
have not been materially advanced Cper-
haps TO 10 per cent?. except on low grade
SUDuS. WHICH were SOlu SD tutdilf thdt
there was loss on every roll as the COM
petition in this class was particularly Sc
we're In these goods the percentage Of
advance is greater.
.'As prices are now adjusted fair proht
is secured and production is controlled so
as not to overstock the market.
While the agreement Obliges the deal
ers to buy and sell the papers made by
the combination. latitude is allowed with
fixed limits to certain dealers. whose trade
actually requires il. tC use certain
amount Of foreign made paper; but in ev-
cry case the dealer is held to a limited
number Of designs and must purchase the
same through the combination.
In order for American papers to com
pete il would seem to be necessary for the
makers in the United States 10 come to
some agreement with the combination.
Tiiere is''a class OF papers made in the
United States which is initiated in Great
Britain and Germany. but is not as good.
These papers are in gloss or satin finish.
and can be sold at reasonable prices. while
the limitations cost very much more.
The American papers should be made
to suit the English markets. namely. u
inches wide instead of Is inches, and i
yards long instead Of yards.
Prices are based on the weight OF the
paper and the number of times it has
gone through the rolls"