The Osceola times., 1882-04-01
IMPORTED LUXURlES.
what the Nation Pays for Some Of the
Articles Produced In Other Countries.
Boston Herald.

what the Nation Pays for Some Of tn,
Boston Herald
The treasury statistics of our import.
for the calendar year closing with De
cember 81, 1881, shown that our people
have not yet begun 10 curtail their pur-
chases of luxuries OF life. In 1879, the
last year of the period of business stag.
nation, our importation of what may be
denominatei Injuries amounted to
S6S 100000 and in 1880, with the re-
newal of good times" our people bought
of the same articles some $y3 100000
worth, an advance of t25 900 900. 1t was
in that year that the people began to
feel like indulging their tastes more
freely. The figures of the treasury bu-
reau indicate that the flush" times are
still with us, Of which, perhaps, there is
no better sign than the purchase of pre-
cious stones. In 1879 the importation of
diamonds and other gems amounted to
$4,727 900, in 1880 to $S,0S3, 600, and last
year to $s,727,00 The importation Of
gems is a very good commercial bafome-
ter. When the times" press hard upon
the people the importation Is small, but,
with rising commercial barometer the
dealers in this class of luxuries begin to
buy more freely in anticipation Of
a sure demand for their costly wares.
Since 1879 we have more than doubled
our purchase of foreign fancy goods, the
figures being $4,750,UOO, against $9,OlS,-
900 last year. In musical instruments,
a trade which quickly senses" any
change in the feelings Of the people who
have tastes to crafty, the imports have
doubled, rising from $702, 900, two years
ago, to 81 ,4S9, 900 last year. In silk goods
we are buying a third more than in 1879,
the figures for last year being $33,0O0,-
600, decline of $20000OO from the i'm
ports of 1880; but this decline il no iKdi-
cation of diminished purchasing power
among the people; it may be ascribed to
overstocking the year before, and 10
changes in the fashions. The variation,
however, is 30 slight as to scarcely call
for explanation. OF silk hosiery, GER
tainly luxury, pure and simple, We are
importing $I24,000 worth. VI foreign
jewelry We never buy heavily, owing to
the du'ie+, and especially TO the great
skill of our home manufacturers. Our
bill in this particular can be covered by
Si59 900 lor 1881. OF gloves, principally
kid, we continue to buy nearly $4UO,-
600 worth yearly, but IN hard tunes peo-
pie curtail their purchs SEES OF gloves very
quickly. As with diamonds, 70 with
paintings and statuary; the increased
purchase of these articles is sure indi-
cation Of the "hushness" Of the national
pocket. In 1879 we bought of these
works Of art IL sos 900, and last year
$2,42v000 worth. Foreign books and
engrayings made an item of over $1,000
600 in our imports, but two years ago our
book buyers and print-coilectors were
far less lavish of their money. The wine
and spirit trade is importing nearly
$1,000 900 worth more of these luxuries
than during the last panic year; the
figures for 1881 are ~, ,573,0 900. The de
velopment of the brewing business in
the United States rendered 1t unneces-
sary to buy more than SS3l 900 worth Of
Bass bitter" and of German lager last
year OF foreign tobacco and cigars
mostly Cuban, We bought in 1881 TO
the value of $7,700,Q00 al increase of
$1,000, 900 since 1879. Our importation
of foreign watches-thanks to the excel
lence and indeed, superiority OF Ameri-
can machine made watches-is confined
mainly 10 very costly English and Euro
pean makes, and also TO the very cheap
est Swiss grades for the supply Of auction
shops and the swindling OF the simple.
But even in these goods our imports are
about to double what they were in 1879,
the figures for 1881 being $2,3lS, 900. OF
foreign leather goods, fine harness, etc,
we are purchasing at the rate of some.
thing over 81 700, 900 year. OF fur aud
n i, t.l 1.at
$5,050,0O0 worth, as against S3,OO0OO IN
1879. Our imports of foreign glassware
have increased from II 100000 in 1879
to o., ,749 600 last ear, and this does not
include our purchase of foreign mirrors,
which, in 1881, amounted to SS22,OOO.
Our foreign button bill shows that the
domestic industry is not yet up to the
demands of taste and fashion. Buttons
to the value of 81, $4,000 cane in last
year. In p'rfumery and cosmetics a
little money would seem to have gone a
great way, if We may believe the French
labels on the preparations on the drug
gists' counters. The bill for 1881 was
only S475, 900; but, as has been hinted,
our manufacturers have grown very ex-
pert in the preparation of these wares.
The carpet industry in this country has
reached high grade OF perfection, and
to this reason may be ascribed the fact
that SSl2, 900 will cover the purchase OF
foreign carpets last year. French station
cry, as sold in the shops, is pretty sure to
have been made in Western Massachu-
setts, for our imports OF foreign writing
paper in 1881 only amounted to 1900.
In wooden dress goods our foreign pur-
chase fell from $l4 ,s07 900 to $l3,765, 600
in 1881. In foreign fruits there was an in.
creased importation, the values being
$l5,3l5,000, as against $l4, ,40l 600 in 1880.
The 'gilded youth" and returned tourist
patropized the foreign tailor and dress
maker to smaller extent in 1881 than
in 1880, the figures being $40, 900 against
$S9S, 900 respectively. The fact is, that
the foreign tailor does not suit the
American taste, except in the case Of
over English young svells. There is a
lack OF style in English tailoring, and
the peculiar cut of the garment is apt to
render the wearer ridiculous TO the
ordinary American citizen. At the pres.
ent time we are buying abroad fully 80
per cent more of foreign luxuries than
two years ago.