The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-08
TRY TO OFFSET
TRUSTS PRICES
Hide Monopoly Plans Campaign
Against Consumer Declaring
That Leather Is Going Up.
TO PROTECT POOR MAN.
How Trust Controls Materials and
Machinery Debating Own
Terms To Shoe Factories.
TO PROTECT POOR MAN.
How Trust Controls Materials and

Along with the increasing prices OF
many standard commodities shoes, it
is now announced, are scheduled for
another immediate rise, but to offset
this the National Shoe Manufacturers'
| Association, one OF the largest and
most important organizations in the
United States, is advising its men,
| beers to so read1ust, values that when
the prices are ultimately forced un-
ward by higher cost of materials. the
consumer VIII be able to get for the
same money a shoe of the same
/ quality when he now buys.
| This readjustment for the protection
! trade is to be brought about by add
! ing to the quality of each line Of
! shoes so that it will move up to the
! grade above. For example 1t Is de-
! sired to -add-to the-Nallle.~ Of the Ia
shoes so that it may rightly he worth
$3.50. Then when the cost Is novel
/ up one step the ratio of the price
! Of the shoes to their quality will be
equal to that now prevailing.
| Following Is that section of the
resolution just adopted by the Shoe
Manufacturers Association eynbody-
ing the readjustment suggestion:
Whereas, the extreme adj
| vances which have taken place
during the past two years in all
materials entering into the manu-
facture of shoes render 1t impera-
tive at this time that a readjust-
| ment of values should be made in
all the various lines and grades
of shoes now manufactured;
therefore be IL
Resolved, That this associa-
ton urges its mem bers and the
trade at large to fully maintain
and where possible improve their
present standards of quality, add
ing. when necessary or possible,
sufficient values to each line to
make 1t rightly worth the price
representing the next higher
grade"
OF Importance Here.
Since Richmond is one of the iarg-
est shoe jobhing centers in the en-
tire country this recommendation OF
the Manufacturers Association vii
have an important bearing upon 1t:
shoe trade tending to maintain 1t al
its present high figure, where II would
otherwise be inclined to suffer from
an increase in cost without a cor
responding increase in values.
Costly Materials.
The cost of materials manufac-
turers show TO be at the highest point
reached for many years. white tht
trade Is seriously handicapped in find
ing 1t difficult to maintain the prices
at profitable figures.
Now, however, that materials ar
slated for another increase, the man
ufacturers declare that the most rigif
economy must be enforced and
| in some instances, drastic measures
invoked lest the shoe trade through
out the country suffer paralysis, ant
consequently have hit upon the me-
thod outlined above. which while II
the nature of a sacrifice will even
| IT, fu hnn
from stagnation.
, Particularly has the situation men
aced the business of the retail mer
chant and vet 1t is shown that II tbs
retailer to-day attempts to sell tn
; same quality of shoe he sold Year
ago, he must pay more, because I
J costs the manufacturer more. If h
l desires shoe at the same price, NJ
} must expect an inferior quality, whicl
in the end means loss of trade Il
himself and extra cost to the con
] sumner.
Profits Very Small.
Meanwhile both the manufacture
and iobber are ready to show at an,
time that the profits from the sho'
} business are not turned into theii
Golfers They have invited exan'na
. ton. declaring that their earning
are much smaller than heretofore AM
/ hardly constituting a fair return OF
, the capital invested
Both declare that leather Is beinl
, quoted at such stupendous figure
, that the consumer must pay advanced
prices for his shoes or go barefooted
| In addition to this they point to tn
~ shoe machinery trust which control
all shoe manufacturing machines AM
most of the valuable patents. ant
, which, thus fortified. makes contract
, for the lease of its machines with sho
manufacturers at arbitrary. prices