The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-03-04
DEALERS OPPOSE
PURE SHOE BILL
Fear Injury to Trade Through
Use of Label

Lansing, Mich, March i.-Members
OF the Senate committee on state af-
fairs received "a lesson in shoe manu-
iacture when u big delegation of re-
tail shoe dealers, jobbers and manu-
iacturers came To Lansing to oppos ,
the passage OF Senator Woodworth's
pure shoe bill. II came something Of
a shock 10 the committee to learn that
~ per cent of all shoes which retail
for less than 50 and So contain sub
stitutes for leather and would be ar
iectcd by measure requiring the la
being of all footwear i'm which sub
stitutes for leather are used.
The shoe people insist that so-callcd
born fiber" counters are superior to
leather and that fiber boxes in the toes
of the cheaper grades will outwear
cheap leather and are not susceptible
to water. They claim substitute inner
soles are just as good and by their
use better grade leather may be use
in the outer sole. They hold it is bet
ter to use fiber substitutes in buildin
up heels i'm cheap shoes.
rear TO IdDcI SuOStItCtcS.
They argue that though a leather
shoe can be made cheap, il will not
compare with the article containinS
scientific substitutes and that any
thing marked as containing limitations
or substitutes would be ignored by TIL
buying public in spite of the fact that
ii would be much better wearing
shoe than the cheap designs comply.
ing with the pure leather provision.
Then YOU insist that deception Is
necessary in the shoe business" asked
Senator Woodwork.
NO" shouted the shoe men in uni
son. Then the hearing took on the
semblance of sewing circle Every
dealer and manufacturer joined in the
conversation, each seeking to max
himself heard above the others and
each exhibiting To members of the
committee certain specimens of shoe
manufacturing craft to support his
Every argument came back to the
same contention that it is best that the
people not know too much about the
shoe business if their interests are to
be safcguardcd.
Seek to Kill il in Committee.
Representative Young of Big Rap
ids, himself IA shoe dealer, argued that
the bill should be killed in the com
mittee and the members not forced to
face the issue of the floor of the
houses. He said that clamor for pure
shoes would not be 50 unanimous that
no member could Afford To vote against
IT, even though he knew the thing to
be wrong.
Senator Woodwork read the bill
passed during the Pingrce admins
tration which is similar To his own,
but puts prosecutions in the hands of
He asked the shoe men why Governor
Pingree one of the big shoe manu
racturers of the country, had signed
A bill so Incompatible with the inter,
ests of the people who buy shoes AMI
the interests that make and sell them
Stirs Up Great Disorder.
He was afraid to veto the bill"
shouted one.
Why" asked Woodwork.
III he refused to sign the bill the |
people would have thought he manu-
featured shodddy Shoes explained |
)ne man.
The hearing lost all semblance Of |
,r6er and Senator Smith left the com
nittee. The committee took the bill |
inder consideration and the shoe men |
eft after putting forth another argu
nent on the basis that the state |
should wait for a national law i'm or
Ter that the legislation should be uni
'orm.
The committee has not been salts
led the Woodwork bill is a bad one |
ind is considering changing the pres
mt law to put the enforcement into |
he hands Of the state food commits