Evening journal., 1917-07-12
EXPLANATION OF HrGH cosr OF SPORTS.


An investigation proves such attitude erroneous We
will take tho DUPONT Company for example It bcine
the foremost manufacturer OF sporting powders In this
country ana having spent hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars TO popuarizo its powder for trap and neld
shooting viii he conceded 10 have idea OF the ait
uation generally and interested in how present con
ditons will hit trapshooting especially insofar as the
average man 10 affected
so far az the DUPONT Company concerned up to Jan
uary 1917 every pound OF smokeess powder sold for
use in shotgun ammunition was sold at the same price
that in effect prior to the great European war
While is that the manufacturing costs on smoke
less powders for domestic consumption have increased
because raw materials have increased and labor is
high this increase absorbed by the company In the
nature OF contribution to the sport OF trap and field
shooting with the idea Of keeping the to the sports
man low possible
In every walk OF life in normal as well as abnormal
times, we sec merchants and manufacturers pushing
this that commodity in preference to the rest Of
his line because through some advantage possesses
It has him less and by selling large quantity Of
it he Is abo increase his gross profits This ap-
plies to clothing groceries, hardware etc These MGR
chants and manufacturers not considered pirates
because they take advantage OF these exceptional op-
portunes which come their way once in while.
And knowing everyone knows OF the Increased cost
OF brass copper speter, wads, shot illuminate which
ranges from go per cent 500 per cent and of the
hhnohl piohihlNc pIlto OF paper ttNen though DOW
der had not advanced could not reasonably OK
pect anything but stir in tho prico OF ammu-
milton There about these Increased prices
Each may investigate for himself and wo venture TO
tho average profit TO tho manufacturer OF am
m1mition FOR domestic consumption as compared with
bis before tho war net profit. win bo found to be no
higher in proporionto tho increased cost OF produc
ton than will tho profits IN any other line.
Il is generally conceded that wo are shooicrs by IN
snc and that love Of firearms heritage transmitted
from generation TO generation. However tho son Of
the man cannot expect to indulge in any great
amount OF trapshootng before he is earning his
money TO spend tho sport especially II the father
also trapshootcr the average mans income does
not permit two or more persons IN his family 10 be
trapshooors even with shells at so or 60 cents box
In this connection an examination Of tho records kept
covering tho DUPONT 1915 and 1916 beginners Shoot
shows that most Of The 1900 participants in those
events IN the two years we'll beyond their
iorty The argument applies to field shooting. II
the average man. could permit his son 10 enjoy field
shooting at his exponse during tho period between his
sixteenth and twentieth years, when ammunition was
selling at the rate OF twenty-five shells for so cents
then he could certainly afford TO permit him TO shoot
the number OF shos tho field whom ammunition
was selling at say 81 for box OF twenty-five Shells
for the very simple that the average field shooter
OF that age will not shoot moro than 200 shells per
Therefore the Increased would be about s4.
With laborers. farmers artisans clerks professional
and business men all enjoying unparalleled prosperity
an item Of 81 per year increase for luxury or sport
such az shooting ia going to bar any but a very
limited number from enjoying their favorite pastime
for formerly getting 81 day now receives So,
and monthly salaries Of many have jumped from $50
to $3.50
Nevertheless do not question The fact that some
mon are going to find it difficult Keep up their trap
shooting in view Of tho increased expense. We have
all OF experienced periods when found it noccs-
sary forego great personal pleasure because OF
tho cost which was beyond our means and what did
we dog We did not forever foreswear that pleasure
but put % tho day Of rcplzatIor until per-
mittcd 20 indulge ourselves. It IL not what be
termed an acute hardship for these men to have TO
orcgo their occasional visits to tho traps because OF
tho Increased cost Of ammunition When their wages
on salaries increase ammunition decreases In price
they again take up tho sport without losing any
of their self-rosnect or II has heon in the habit
OF spending 50 per month for ammunition and has been
able 20 buy four boxes 100 shells FOR this OF
money and because OF increase in price he is able
20 buy but three boxes, or soveny-dve Shells for So
what reason have 10 believe that he viii not shoot
tho SO worth rather than give up tho sport entirely?
II no really the sport we believe he will do this
II hc is "pkor" Il IS reasonable suppose that he
will Quit the sport And OF course IL he IS a "pker'
the sport is better or without him. However that
the number Of "pikersn have encountered among the
trapshooters IS small TO be negligible consdera-
ton.
Docs anyone think for minute that baseball would
be Killed forever with the great American public il
supply OF baseballs shut Off for two three or
more because OF abnormal conditioner Certainly
not and yet baseball has bred into us nearly
so long or so thoroughly as has shooting
In normal times tho ammunition business is not enc
OF abnormal profits for dealers jobbcr or manufac-
turer II is, however business that runs into an
enormous amount OF money To suggest 10 tho manu-
NJ f,nf tf,o
nestle consumption Eat or oven at loss is most
unreasonable. and would mean that for years the net
profit OF their stockholders this staple commodity
would be eliminated, and in case The REIMBURSEMENT
period was long delayed never came the manufac-
turer would be up against a. in fact doubtless forced
to The wall by OF their poor business policy
Sound business logic dictates that IN times OF penty
must the harvest TO forfy against lean
years occasionally experienced and this applies to the
manufacturer OF ammunition.