The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-21
LEATHER TRUST
HITS The FARMER.
w. w. HEFFELFINGER EXPLAINS
WHY FREE HIDES ARE DESIRED.
He Says the Beef Trust Operators Con-
troll the Leather Situation and Have
Maintained Duty On Hides to Protect
Their Monopoly-Where the Farmer
Is Interested. -

"A leather trust, as complete in its
organization and as grasping in it's op-
GRAFTON as the other great combinations
that have cornered important industries,
manufacturer and the shoe consumer
This is at the expense of the farmer,
and is being done as rehntlessly as the
beef trust is alleged to have fought the
independent butcher and his customers,
according to w. w. Hetfelfnger, vice
president of the North Star Shoe com
pany. The same men who control the
beet output, a combine that is declared
to be the most cruel Of all trusts, are
the alleged heads Of the leather combine,
and their attitude in the new departure
is said to be Identical to that in their
beef dealings.
"There is no doubt that the trust ex-
ists,' said Mr.. Hefelfnger today.
"The Armours and their associates,
thru their control Of the United States
Leather company, dominate the sole
leather trade in the country, and a pro
,hibitive duty on hides, in the guise Of
aiding the farmer was passed to give
them the power to carry on their infa-
nous work. -.
Beef Trust Dominates.
"The beef trust dictates the price
that shall be paid the cattlemeI for his
stock and controls the selling price of
the meat and all the by-products. When
only for the meat. The horns, hoofs,
hides and other important by-products
are not considered in the purchase. Sold
these by-products, and certainly the
leather, bring enormous revenue to the
'NrI 1.-THE present hide duty act was
passed at the instance of the packers
1t was argued at the time that it was
designed to protect the cattle raiser
The farmer has received no benefit
whatever from the duty and the results
show plainly that it was inspired by the
packers. It is high time for the farm
manufacturers are directly injured by
the operation 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 hides that bring mill
ions upon millions to the packers, is the
chief loser and would be the gamer in q
fight with the trust.
Decrease in Price.
"Another important faet that should
cause the farmer to revolt from the
chatting of this yoke is the decrease in
the price paid for CATTLE In indisput
able control of the buying prices, the
packers have frightened the screws or
the producer, and until a short time age
when a slight increase was offered, the
price Of beef on the hoof was constant
ly being forced lower During the
same period, and it was only a few
years, the price Of hides was advanced
| 30 per cent. I know this from ,actua
investigation. Friends Of mine who
are engagedEin the ranch business have
proved to me that prices paid the cattle
raiser have been declining steadily.
Whether or not, as is alleged, the
leather trust will 60 still further anc
attempt to control the machinery EN-
ployed in the manufacture of shoes
cannot say. I doubt if the United
Shoe Machinery company will sell the
valuable patents it holds, tho I wou11t
not be greatly surprised if the state
ments that the leather men are endeav
oring to control this branch Of the in
dustry are found true.
Would Stay Trust.
HI also disagree with other manu-
facturers that the repeal Of the hid,
! duty act will not stay the progress O:
the leather trust. With this act re
| moved, we would go TO South American
markets for good share of our hides
and it would be difficult for the Unite,
States combine to gain control of all tn
fields.
t. eve are working hard for the repea
Of the duty. Our business demand
that it be removed, but think thsS i
is up to the farmer to. assert himsel
and fight for the rights he is unques
tionably denied thru the operation O
the beef and leather combines. -