New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-30
EFEEcTs ON WooLLENs AND CARPETS.

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| OF the other spices"
EFFECTS ON WOoLLENS AND CARPETS.
About the effect on American woollen manufacs
lures of tho changes in Schedule of the taiif
merchants handling these goods say they are unable
to judge beforehand. As rule no important result
is looked for Carpet think that there will be-
no effect produced ON their branch Vt business By
the reduction in duties. NJ J. bailey. Uf Hemp
hill Hamlin & Co.. said: There arc no carpetngs
in bulk or great quantity coming over from Europe
All the orders given for special patterns The
for this is that the foreign carpets cannot bs
laid down here at cost low enough to meet the
competition of domestic manufacturers. Specially
low prices have been made by some foreign firms;
lower in fact than their prices to their homo trade,
in the hope Of securing An increase OF business from
America when the now duties take effect. On
Brussels carpets and tapestries English prices are
threepence lower than they were. But the reduc-
ton has not been enough to induce importers to
increase their orders. We are making goods OF q
better quality than the foreign mskes-I should say
from 10 to 20 per cent better. Competition Is so
great that they are forced to make poorer goods.
Moreover the effect of the new tariff has been
counteracted by lower prce-lists for domestic car
PETS There has been q reduction of about per
cent. I do not believe that importatons would be
increased even If no change we're made IN our
prices"
Joseph Wild, Of Joseph Wild & Co., an old i'm.
porter of carpets, said: I" There has been perhaps
triaing in impOrtailons on account Of the
reduction in duties to take effect on July L. But
the importations of foreign goods are very light,
only few fine retail firms, like w. e. }. Sloane,
Arnold, Constable & Co., and several ia Boston.
brings ng in q few goods simply to obtain patterns.
What stock has been imported has been kept In
bonded warehouses and ouly drawn upon as actu-
ally needed. The trade every year is depending
more and more on domestic manufactures. Some OF
the dealers think that the profits OF the home man
ufacturers are too large, and they have talked
great deal about increasing their Import atlols IN the
hope Of bringing about decline IN home Values.
But do not think that this will amount to any
thing except talk II you should knock down the
tariff 10 to 10 per cent more, the reduction mlght
amount to something in the way OF increasing I'M
portatons. As it is yOu have only grazed IT, and so
the lower duties are not changed sufficiently TO
have "a material effect on the trade. Ii is true that
foreign goods have been declining quality, but ar
the same time prices have been going down. For
eigu manufacturers are simply making lower grades
to meet the demand for cheaper goods. Stocks arc
lighter than they have been at this season for
years. Dealers have been selling out in aDtcipa-
ton of a great reduction, and homs aDufacturers
have been reducing production. The stocks Will
have to be replaced, and If the crops turn out wei
/ think the market will become active"
Abraham Mills of the most active brokers in
wool said About the only effect the change in
the tariff has had has been to reduce the price or
the best domestic woods from TO 3 cents pound
for July delivery. That is about the amount OF tho
reduction to be made by the new tariff OIL imported
woods Business has been very dull in anticipation
of the change in duties. Notnng has been dong
for three months. and all that has been sold has
been for July delivery. Buyers Will have to como
in later and after the tariff is in operation we
look for a better state of trade"
William w. Coffin. treasurer of the Globe Wool
len Mills, said that the manufacturers OF fno
We ollen goods had been able to maintain prices SC
far AS to the effect in the future of the lower
duties on woods and wOol,ens he was not prepared
to express an opinion. The test would come with
the next season, and it impossible to say whzs
would be the result The agitation OF the tarin
question previous to the final passage OF the new
law, had tended to check sales on account OF tho
not think that the difference between the old and
the rates of duties sufficient to cause largo
impOr tatIons; besides the reduction would have 10
be met in some way by the manufacturers. Mr.
Coffin did not think prices would be materially
lower on fine woollens. The trade was really all
at sea as to the probable future developments OK
the autumn
HW. T. Mali, of H.W. 7. Mali & Co., reflected the
general views of the importers of woOllens when
be said: The trade has been holding back on ac-
count of the impending reduction in duties and i'm
after July l. cannot say that tie outlook is brill
liant. There has been an overproducton and people
are Overstocked. consider that this has had moro
to do with the unsatisfactory condition OF business
than the question of changes in the tariff. do no5
look for any important increase IN lmportations
under the now law, because the changes from the
old tariff comparatively slight, especially on fno
goods. The domestic manufacturers are making
better articles and the difference in the duties Is 30
slight that it does not pay bring goods over, ex-
cept those for which there is q regular trade"