Evening journal., 1910-11-07
NO LEATHER
TRUST HERE
MIR. James B. Hickman Replies
to Democratic Assertions
Of Democrats
DENIES THAT WAGES ARE
LOWER THAN THEY WERE

Mr.. James b. Hickman to-day
forwarded the following letter to the
Editor of Every Evening with refer
ence to the leather industry in this
city:
Dear Sir: Having been connected
with the leather industry of this city
since the year 1876, | think / am In a
position 10 deny some OF the assertions
made IN your editorial of November
9TH issue of your paper. You say that
the Republican party appeals to the
leather workers for their votes TO sus-
tain a system that enriches the leather
trust, which you infer exists in this
city. This, you should know is not
fact, If you do not, you should as
certain before making such assertion.
There are I'm this city fourteen firms
engaged in the manufacture of Chrome
tanned kid leather, (the manufacture
OF morocco being obsolete so far as
this city Is concernedl which give em-
ployment TO thousands of men aud
women, and which pay out annually
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
wages. Each of these fourteen firms Is
separate and distinct organization,
and they enter into the keenest COM
petition with each other for business
You assert that the wages paid
workers in these factories are 80 per
cent. less than wages paid 80 to 40
years ago, this / deny and you can
not produce the evidence to substan-
tiate your claim / can say / think
without fear Of contradiction that the
average wages paid the leather work.
ers of this city are higher at the pres
ent time than at any time in the his
tory of the business and with shorter
hours Of labor
You intimate that the 15 per cent
duty on finished leather goes into the
pockets of the leather manufacture
ers; this you should know Is not the
fact. This 10 per cent is reckoned
as being the difference between the
labor cost in England, Germany and
other foreign countries and the United
States. In am quite sure statistic;
/ will prove that the wage rate prevail
] ing in foreign countries does not com,
within 30 per cent. to 40 per cent o
the rate paid in this country IL /
plain 10 be seen that If the 40 pc
cent. duty on finished leather wa
removed, this country would be flood
ed with a cheap grade OF foreig
leather, which would close factorie
IN this city or cause manufacturer
to lower the standard Of wages to
level of foreign countries
/ wish to call your attention TO al
important fact, which Is the presen
low cost of good shoes You can bu.
i'm this city at the present time 70
$3.50, a mans shoe made from kil
J al ~ 10 hlf
/ ing, better fitting and a better wear
ing shoe than you could have bough
thirty to forty years ago at double
/ the price. A womans shoe, such al
Queen Quality which sells from
$500 TO $3.50. is better shoe il
every way than a French kid shoe
which was the prevailing fine shol
worn thirty to forty years ago an'
soDl from $500 TO $500.
The fact is that most of the shoei
worn bytmen and women, who had Z
earn their living by the sweat o
their brow forty years ago had thi
soles either nailed OF pegged on an'
for which they paid higher price
than they now pay for shoes made b.
the Goodyear Welt System whicl
makes a shoe equal to the best hand
sewed work | think II you are desir
GUS of placing facts before the read
ers Of your paper, among whom ! an
pleased to be numbered, you SHOULD
do so without trying to mislead then
by statements that cannot be sub
stantiated
Yours respectfully,
James B. Hickman.
With Charles Beadenkopf CO
Mr.. Hickman I'm a letter TO TIL
II JOURNAL adds;
"The people owe il 10 Congressman
Head that he he elected as n sign o
appreeiatiOn of the good work don
in behalf of the leather industrie
of this city"