Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-07-28
TIE PRICES OF CLOTHING.


TIE PRICES OF CLOTHING.
Ioreka Commonwealth.
Inc Kansas City Times pretends to
d1scredit the statistics in the Common
wealth OF last Friday, giving the prices
Il Certain articles of clothing in London
and New Yok. The statistics were
compiled by the New York Press, which
sent an expert to London for the pur-
purpose. The articles on which the pri-
ces we're quoted were purchased by the
Press aid are on exhibition at its Office.
the Commonwealth has every reason to
sredit the figures.
Among other articles, the prices of
which were mentioned, was an overcoat
OF particular grade and quality that
sold in London markets at $S.75 and in
the New York markets at Sc. The Times
takes special umbrage at the overcoat
figures and says fatty that they are not
true and that fac,s exist which make
these prices impossible and ridiculous.
As usual With free traders the Times has
made simple dogmstic statements, with
put either foundation or proof.
An overcoat that costs but 1915 or
$500 is one in which the element Of
labor does not appreciably figure.
An So or Sc overcoat is machine made.
The actual cost of the labor employed in
it's manufacture would not exceed so or
60 cents. The clothing manufacturers
of the United States are confessedly in
advance of those of any other country.
The product they turn out is better
made, of as good quality, and cheaper
than that of foreign manufacture.
There is no other country in
which the extent of the business ap-
proaches that of America. The con-
stantly increasing demand for cheap
clothing and the high price of American
labor forced the clothing trade of the
country into the most extensive and COM
prehensive use Of machinery in it's man.
ufacture. The superior mechanical gen.
Jus of our people came to their assist
snce and the duty on manufactured
clothing protected them, until this bust
ness has reached an extent at which
nearly all the cheap clothing consumed
in the United States is machine made.
The wonderful growth of the manu-
facture of cheap clothing in this country
is fair example of the bene6cent effects
Of a protective tariff. The duty
charged on manufactured clothing
protected the American industry un-
til it surpassed the foreign. Our
immense home market for clothing
started dozens of clothing manufactor-
els. This competition kept prices down,
improved the grade of workmanship ard
increased the skill of the manufacturers.
That the prices of cheap clothing
have been steadily reduced until
they have reached figures below
those at which that grade Of clothing is
sold in England is of itself refutation of
the free trade argument that protec-
tive tariff compells consumers to pay the
price of an article in the cheapest worlds
market with the cost of transportation
and "just the duty" added.
High priced clothing, suits and over
coats that cost from $50 to $50, can be
produced in England cheaper than in
this country, and, because simply the
element of labor enters as the principal
one. Such clothing is hand made.
Labor in England, skilled and unskilled,
is paid at least half less than in Amer
lea. A suit of clothes that would cost
the American tailor SIS to make, would
cost the English tailor Sc or $7-a saw
ing of So or SO in favor of the English
tailor. There is still greater differ
ence between the price of American and
English clothing OF this grade, all of
which Can be directly traced to the
differences in the cost of labor.
Clothing of this price, however, is
worn very little by farmers and laboring
men, and the tariff that the United States
pays each year on this grade Of clothing
does not come ont of the pockets of
farmers and laboring men, but
is paid principally by those
who wear it, though the importers
pay their proportion in order to get
into our market. The free traders Who
tell lsboring men and farmers that they
are taxed 80 per cent on their clothing
simply say what is not true, which some
of them know and others would find out
if they would honestly investigate the
matter instead of relying 30 much on
Golden club tracts.
Our exports show that certain grades
Of clothing, principally cheap machine
made clothing, are cheaper in this coun-
try than in foreign countries. During |
The fiscal year ending June 80, 1886,
We exported from this country nearly |
$500, 900 worth Of wooden clothing; of
this amount $4,000 went to England |
and Scotland. 1t certainly does not |
look like wooden clothing of this class is
cheaper in England than it is in this
country when We are exporting it to
England.
CLEvELAND,S POLICY
The Disastrous Effect It Would Have on |