Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-14

With the OF ject in view of ascertaining
the feeling of the local dealers in differs
ent Kinds OF trade regarding the effect of
the tariff. an ARGUS repres sntative in
terviewed two of the leading dry goods
men in the city for the necessary lnfor-
nation.
What effect will the tariff have upon
your trader was asked Mr.. &C. G. McIn-
tire, of the firm of McIntire Bro?.
well. | cannot tell definitely as yet.
L have received advices or circulars that
silk plushes would be advanced 90 per
cent: silk velvets at least 10 per cent, and
circulars which inform me that various
kinds Of goods would be advanced soon,
but without stating the exact figures
Among these goods are corsets, velvet
ribbons. handkerchiefs, emb -oideries. lin~
ems, woolens. yarns and various other ar
ticles, the letters advising me | have not
at hand just now. These letters which
got short time ago, before the tariff
went into effect, advised me to purchase
at once, else it would be too late"
"Who, in your opinion, will have to
pay this new addition to the prices
Why, the buyer. of course. The mer-
chant cannot afford to pay the advance
and not charge it up to the purchaser.
OF course. on the goods we have already
IN stock we will make no advance. Our
customers will be enabled 20 buy them at
the old figure. but when We get new sup
plies in the months of December, Janu-
AIRY and February. and We ourselves are
charged the advance compelled by the
new tariff, why, we will be obliged to
charge the additional sun to those who
buy from US. The profits on our bust
ness are none too large now and We GER
tainly could not afford to lose the adii-
tionsl charge. Things may straighten
themselves out, however. in a couple of
years.
I'm what wsyf' was asked.
well. I'm not prepared to say just
now, and it does seem to me that there is
no way of getting out of the truth that
the customer must pay the extra charges.
True, | don't see how few years can
make things any better than they are, but
| have hopes that they might
ANOTHER sPEAKs
Can you give me your opinion of the
effects of the Mckinley bill upon your
business in local way2" was asked Mr..
L. s. McCabe, of the firm of McCabe
Bros
While do not wish to be quoted as
a tvancing any opinion or statement on
the matter tor publication" answered Mr..
MeCabe, "sti the cons umers must be
affected by the change in the tariff lam
receiving all the time notices of the change
and the consequent adv nee in price and
| suppose we must govern ourselves &C.
cordingly. The goods now on our shelves
will remain at the old prices, and when
our newer goods come in. which will be
bought under the new tariff. don't see
how we can avoid for any length of time,
charging the new rates We may be in
clined to stand the loss ourselves as a
matter of righteousness. and permit our
goods to 60 at the old figures in order to
command trade, but think that gradual
ly, in self defense, we would be obliged
to advance the price in accordance with
the demands Of the tariff At first we
might not make the full advance re-
CURED, until, as it were, the people got
used to it, but it would have to come.
There ale some lines Of goods that home
manufacture cannot compete with so as
to effect them in any Tsy-a certain line
of cOrsets, for instance and on these par
ticulsrly the prices will be kept up. But
in the main. when the merchant is
obliged to pay more for his goods by a
tariff increase. this increase must certain-
II come out of those who purchase them. %
AN EASTERN VIEW.
In this matter of dry goods herewith is
given the WOODEN schedule: