Morris tribune., 1905-11-25
HIDE PRICES TOO LOW.
The Tariff Gives the Trust Control
of the rlarket.

Oh the EarkeL.
The Minneapolis Journal prints
the following interesting interview
regarding the prices of hides as con-
trolled by the trust
A leather truat, as complete in its
organization aud as grasping in its
operation as the other great com
binatlons that have cornered import
ant industries, is Tightening its grip
upon the shoe manufacturer and the
shoe consumer. This is at the ex
pense of the farmer, and is being
done as relentlessly as the beef trust
is alleged to have fought the indie
pendent butcher and his customers,
according to W. W. Reffelfnger,
vice president of the North Star
Shoe company. The same men who
control the beef output, a combine
that is declared to be the most cruel
of all trusts, are the alleged heads of
the leather combine, and their at
titude in the new departure is SAID
to be identical to that in their beef
dealings.
"There is no doubt that the trust
exists" said Mr.. Heffelfnger today.
"The Armours and their associates,
thru their control of the United
States Leather company, dominate
the sole-leather trade in the country,
and prohibitive duty on hides. in
the guise Of aiding the farmer was
passed to give them the power to
carry on their Infamous work.
Beef Trust Dominates.
F'The beef trust dictates the price
that shall be paid the cattlemen for
his stock and controls the selling
price of the meat and all the by
products. When the farmers sells
his cattle, he is paid only for the
meat. The horns, hoofs, hides and
other important by -products are
not considered in the purchase
Sold, these products, and certainly
the leather, bring enormous revenue
to the packers.
"The present hide duty act was
passed at the instance of the packers
It was argued at the time that it
was designed to protect the cattle
raiser. The farmer hes received no
benefit whatever from the duty and
the results in the information OF the
leather trust show plainly that it
was inspired by the packers. It is
high time for the farmer to raise in
protest. Boot and shoe msnnfactur-
ers are directly injured by the opera
ton of this huge combine and their
customers suffer correspondingly,
owing to the necessary increase in
price of The finished product, but the
farmer, paid nothing for bides that
bring millions upon millions to the
packers, is the chief loser and would
be the gamer in fight with the
trust.
Decrease i'm Price.
another important fact that
should cause the farmer to revolt
from the chafng of this yoke is the
decrease in the price paid for cattle.
In indisputable control of the buy
ing prices, the packers have tighten
ed the screws on the producer, and +,
until short time ago when slight
increase was offered, the price of
beef on the hoof was constantly be-
ing forced lower. During the same !
period. and it was only a few years, s
the price of hides was advanced so s
per cent I know this from actual s
Investigation. Friends of mine who s
are engaged in the ranch business
have proved to mo that prices paid
the cattle raiser have been declining
s
Whether or not, as is alleged, the
leather trust will go still further
and attempt to control the machinery
in the manufacture of t
shoes I cannot say. I doubt if the r
United Shoe Machinery company
Will sell the valuable patents it holds,
no would not be greatly surprised |
the statements that the leather
nen are endeavoring to control this :
branch of the industry are found
rue.