The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-15
PALM LEAF HAT
TRUST In SPAIN
United States Takes Entire Output
of Four Million a -.
Year. =. j -. -
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Dec. 15.-The latest
trust is the palmleaf hat trust, in
southern Spain. Heretofore there have
been number Of independent concerns
dickering with the peasantry for their
output, but they have now Joined hands
and established a uniform price and
single buyer, who gives the goods
over to the firms in the trust as they
may need them. Destructive competi-
ton is thus eliminated, and wide
margin Of profit secured. 1t is inter
esting to note that the entire palm
leaf hat industry of Spain amounting
to between 100000 and 100000 hats
a year, finds it's only market in the
United States. The goods are all en-
tered thru the custom house at New
York.
Olive Oil Imports.
The imports Of olive oil into the
United States from Spain amount to
from $4,000 to $4,000 barrels year,
and yet the annual consumption of oil
here averages several times those fig
ures. If there SHOULD be pure food
legislation by congress, olive oil will
only do domestic manufacturers make
a spurious oil in this country, and pack
it in bottles carrying Spanish labels,
but the oil itself is frequently unwhole-
some. The adulteration of olive oil is
said to be almost as widespread as that
Of Scotch whisky. It will be remem-
bered that according to estimates made
| by Professor Wiley the government g
chemist, several times as much Scotch
States alone as the entire Scotch out
put. From these two statements, the
general public will be able to under
! stand the character Of some of the CD.
position which will be arrayed against
pure food legislation.
Colombia and Canada.
The department Of agriculture at OF.
tawa is in receipt of letter from a
gentleman residing in a large CONNER
cial center in Colombia, in which he
to establish trade relations with Can
ada, and that Of late the writer had
been asked several times for the names
of Canadian firms who could supply
commodities and manufactures in com
Ipetition with the United States
Among other things, Colombia pur
chases -four, kerosene, sewing ma
chimes, canned good, soda biscuit, an(
furniture in the United States. The
gentleman adds that at present Their
is great opportunity to get this trade
if Canadian exporters so desire. It i
further intimated that there is a feel
ing in Colombia against trading will
the United States.
Beet Sugar Factories.
Official reports point to the closin
of fifty beet sugar factories in GEL
many this year, and to decrease i
the annual weld Of sugar in that coul
cry Of million tons, in round nun
bers. This decrease was due to droutl
to the effects of the Brussels confer
ence, the withdrawal Of /governmer
support from the industry and declin
in the profits of manufacture.
Canadian Influx.
Official statistics from Canada sa
that 64,968 persons went into thu
country in 1902 and 90,455 persons
1908, more than one-third of them b
ing from the United States. It is not
worthy, that returning Canadians for
a considerable percentage of this i
fux-people who left Canada yea
ago, before the advent Of the boor
and are now going back to take pa
in the great forward movement whit
- is now on in all that part of COUNT
west of the Great Lakes.