The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-31
Free Trader and Single Taxer.
The Campaign for Free Hides.

O-ARaA@& kOE EECC HhtueBs
 The most sensational antitrust agi- tation today has been developed at Washington by the tanning and shoe manufacturing industries In their Tight to have cattle hides restored to the free list in the revenue law now being framed. It appears that the men who make leather, shoes, har- ness, belting and a thousand andone ar- ticles of utility and ornament into which leather enters are up in arms against the beef trust. They claim that this rapacIous organization, not content with controlling the food SUD- ply Of the country, is rapidly monop- olzing the hide and leather markets and if further protected by the tariff will be able to tax every inhabitant Of the country through his shoes his pocketbook. the leather band in his hat. the harness for his horses, the leather for his automobile and furni. ture. and in many other ways. Leather Is the most universal of the staple commodities. Thus far 1t has not seri- ously felt the influence of the trusts. No industrial nation has enough hides to supply its needs for leather. All the industrial nations, although hay. Ing tartns on leather and shoes, ad init hides free. At the hehest of the packers in 1897, tariff of fifteen per cent was put upon hides of cattle, al. though they had been free twenty-fiv years previously during periods Of high protective tariffs. During the past twelve years, by reason of the tariff on foreign hides. the packers have been able to exact fifteen per cent more for their hides but it Is only within recent years that the real basis for a grinding monopoly has shaped itself. Hides have become scarcer and dearer in all the markets of the world-a situation reflected in higher prices everywhere. In many instances hides cost thre times as condition is caused by the great in- crease in the use of leather without a corresponding increase in the breed- ing and slaughtering of cattle. Long ago the big Western packers branshed out Into the poultry and egg business. and built large factories to manufac- ture soap, fertilizer, glue, extract of beef. pepsin and numerous other pro- ducts. Of late they have begun to ab- sorb the tanning industry, and already have forty large plants where leather of various kinds is made. The inde- pendent tanners feel that they are making a last stand for existence in their fight for free hides. AS they are situated now. they are compelled to buy hides from the packers, who are their tanning competitors. The tanning of leather Is one of the most ancient of the industrial arts. Most of the independent tanners are descend ed from a long line of tanners. They received the business from their fa- thers. and desire in turn to pass 1t to their sons; and they are up in arms demanding that the government shall not discriminate against them, so that they will be compelled to abandon an occupation which is a heritage from their fathers. United States Sem ator who conscientiously has endeav- ored to understand the tarif sched, ules, says that he has made 1t a point to ask. who Is 1t that demands a tariff on this, that and the other. He dis covered that innumerable articles It, tie known to the public were really by-products of the packing industry. After studying the tarir for some weeks. the senator declared, All roads lead to Rome, and the packers are the supreme pontif." The manufacturers of shoes are sending delegations to Washington to ask that cattle hides be put upon the free list. They fear that the beef trust. which Is rapidly gob. bling up the tanning trade. will next go into the manufacture of shoes. Mon> ster petitions have been circulated for
 
 retail shoe dealers and the wearers of shoes are signing these petitions, which are being sent to Congress.
 This matter of shoes is very i'm portant consideration, especially to the man of family Growing children fre- quently wear out a pair of shoes month. so that if there Is family of four or five, pair of shoes for the children alone must be purchased each week. To men of limited means the shoe bills are serious If the Ameri- can public Is to be taxed for every mouthful of food and for every step taken, in the interest of a few rich packers, 1t should be known where the responsibility for such a condition lies. The semi civilized nations have hides to spare, but they are diverted from our shores by a tariff. shrewdly designed In the interest of monopoly. Here is a balance sheet, issued by Swift 6 Company, one of the Dig six packers that comprise the Beef Trust. The big packing firms are closely con pected, having Inter-married with each other and having joint interests in many directions.
 It has always been well understood that the Beef Trust maintained a lob- by at the National Capital, but the work is done secretly and by indiree- tion. At this time the cattle raisers of the far West are being pushed for ward by the packers to light for re- tention of the IS per cent. duty on hides Many of the largest stock rais-