Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-06-25
Reasons for Free Hides and Leather

Massachusetts,, has written the fol- |
lowing instructive article respectingl
free hides and leather:
The boot and shoe manufacturers
Of this country are facing a crisis |
even greater than many Of them real
ize.
Under present conditions, that is,
with present duties on hides and
leather, it does not take a prophet to
fOrtell in general way what will
happen. The logic of tariff events has
already proceeded far enough to in
dictate clearly the goal toward which
We are rapidly travelling. This is no
less than a gigantic trust controlling
the beef packing, leather tanning and
shoe manufacturing industries of this
country.
This trust will, Of course, be built
around the present beef trust.
Such Q trust is inevitable, provid-
ing the present duty of Is per cent
remains on hides. The advantage
given by this duty to the beef trust,
as the original owner of hides, is so
. great that competition with it will be
hopeless, as soon as it can establish
itself in the leather tanning and shoe
manufacturing industries.
Under the monopolistic influence of
the tariff on hides, the beef packers
trust has already made great head
way. 1t now controls directly about
b per cent of the hides of this
country. Indirectly, it is reasonably
certain that it controls large part Of
the As per cent of hides which it does
not take off of cattle. To make its
monopoly Of the raw material of
leather still more complete, it has re-
Gently gone into the hide buying bus!
e mess. Thus, the independent tanner
is left with only very restricted sup
ply OF raw material. If he could buy
foreign hides without the payment Of
the Is per cent duty, he would have
some chance to compete with the
packer tanners and the price of leath
er would be more likely to be reason
able. There is, however, no certainty
OF fair and reasonable prices for
leather unless both hides and leather
are put on the free list. The beef
packers monopoly has already gone 50
far that is only question of a very
short time when free hides without
. free leather would be of little or no
avail to shoe manufacturers and other
users of leather.
By ownership and control, through
community Of interest and by tan
ming contracts, the beef packers trust
has already become so dominant in
the sole leather tanning business that
it is difficult to locate independent
tanneries. More than thirty tanneries
are now said to be under Armour
Swift, Morris control. To a less ex.
. tent the beef packers trust is also
connected with the tanning of upper
: leather.
Recently we have heard reports
: that the beef packers were becomins
interested in the shoe manufacturing
business. To what extent, if any Thu
packers have become manufacturer.
Of shoes, l do not know. 1t seems
clear to me, however, that the almos
inevitable result of continuing tn,
present policy of taxed hides ant
leather is to throw the entire leathe,
tanning and shoe manufacturing bus
mess into the hands of the beef trust
which has, through its slaughterin,
interests, control of the countryi
hide supply, and can dictate prices.
The New York Journal of Com
merce of May II says:
1.-THE strength of the hide marke
is giving tanners cause for anxiety, a
they can figure out little profit at tn
prevailing prices of raw materia
Packers have the situation well i
hand, it is said, and propose to &c
their asking figure, in the meantim
not pressing offerings"
Under these conditions we see ths
the fight for free hides is a fight fo
existence on the part of the independ
emit tanners. I predict that if tn
duties on hides are continued tie
years longer, not only will the MOI
opoly Of the tanning industry by tn
beef trust be complete, but the boo
and shoe industry will be a part q
the tariff fostered and tariff nourisl
Cd beef trust. Independent shoe maj
ufacturers cannot pay twenty per Ger
more for its leather than will its trus
competitors and live. The handica
is too great. Then there will be
monopoly in the production of shoe
and as soon as the Independents al
killed, the Is per cent duty on shoe
will be come effective and the pric
Of shoes in this country will be aG
vaneed to 20 or Is per cent above tn
foreign prices and, probably above e,
port prices. Today there is no trus
in the boot and shoe industry an
prices are lower, quality considered
in this than in any other eountr.
This is true, Notwithstanding that "
pay more for leather and for othe
I..:a kovoI ,oofar;o1u fhon 10 naid