A Surviving Saddle Maker Tells His Story
St. Louis Glove-Democrat Sunday Magazine, June 28, 1931
Page 4
"In 1914 when the war broke," said Hotze, "we had assets of $25,000. Then we began to get war contracts. First with foreign governments. Then before even this country got in the fray, we were making saddles for the United States government. In 1918 we had war contracts that grossed $1,500,000 and we turned out nearly 50,0000 saddles with not a single rejection."
That was the peak of their work. They had always done well enough before. But as so often happens, immediately after the peak came the chasm. After the armistice and conditions had reached a now, normal, the auto had definitely done for the harness and saddle business. Or at least on a large scale. And Hotze began to cast about for something new to make. That something eventually proved to be golf bags. "But we didn't stop making saddles" remarked Hotze." "the thrill of the automobile is wearing off. People will soon turn to something else for sport; they have already. Look at the renewed interest manifest everywhere in riding and polo and hunts. I tell you as long as man's human nature remains unchanged we will have and want horses and dogs. There will always be some sale for the saddle."
Among the models he has on display in his show chamber are some designed and patented by his father, others he himself has created. He likes to look at them. "To another person whose idea of beauty is a sunset or a canvas painting." said the man, "saddles may seem the most prosaic things imaginable. But a craftsman always finds a certain beauty in a well executed bit of handiwork. It may be a scroll top table; it may even be a thread of a screw. Or again it may be a saddle."
Perhaps the golf bag business may pile up entries on the right side of the Hotze ledger in amount sufficient to satisfy the business instincts of this 68-year old saddler. But it will never take the place of the saddles.
John Hotze might say in paraphrase of the auto amazed citizenry of the 1900s: "The golf bag may supplant the saddle, but never in my affections."