The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-16
PRICES AND The TARIFF.

II Prices Have Advanced It Is because
Facts.
Netr York Tribuae.
Because prices OF many articles are
higher than q month ago or a year ago,
it is falsely alleged that the new tariff is
making necessaries Of life more costly.
The assertion has not even q grain oil
Excuse in facts, though it il true that
some dishonest and short.sirhted deal.
ers are taking advantage OF popular ig.
~norance, and marking up prices Of goods
which the tariff does not effect in the
least, using that measure rs their pre-.
text. Consumers can punish this e1.
tortion, ii they choose, by transferring
their trade TO merchants who are more
honest. That they may have some light
to guide them, a brief review OF prices
may be timely.
BreadstaB are higher than q month
ago, and much higher than n year ago,
and the reason which controls the trade
is found in the official report OF the De.
partment Of Agriculture, showing that
the frosts last winter and the drouth
last summer caused a loss OF about 90.
100000 bushels OF wheat, about 4 fifth OF
the corn crop and about zoe. COO, 900
bushels OF oats. The tariff did not cause
either the frosts or the drouth, nor has
it caused the recent advance in dairy
products, O the recent decline in some
vegetables and in cattle. With a short
crop OF corn, hog products are naturally
higher, but the supply OF hogs has been
so large that the effect is rs yet but little
felt. Sugar, hops and rice cost Just what
they did a month ago, and coffee is a
little lower. On the whole, farm products
are much dearer than usual, but owing
to causes with which rs yet the tariff has
nothing to do.
Cotton is a little lower than a month
ago, while print cloths, sheetings and
other cotton fabrics have not changed
in price. Wool is a shade higher, on
many grades about one cent per pound,
but no change has yet been made in
prices OF wooden goods OF domestic make.
and if higher prices are by anybody
charged for imported woolens, it is on
goods which were imported at the old
rate OF duties, so that an advance in
price ia simply taking advantage OF GUS.
TONERS. Carpets and flannels are quoted
just as they were q month ago, and also
boots and shoes, but in the latter a
moderate advance was made come time
before the tariff passed, on account OF
the higher prices OF hides and OF leather.
Since the act has passed hides have not
changed at all and leather is q little
There has been no change in
iron or steel, or any OF their important
products sinca the new bill passed. Tin
plates were advanced about a month
before the act passed by heavy buying
abroad in order to import into this
country, though the new duty does not
take effect until July !, 1891. Tin is
active in speculation, though tho new
law makes no change for three years in
the duty, and copper has not changed in
price. Lead and products OF lead had
advanced sharply before September.
because oil influences existing prior to
the passage OF the act. Lumber and
brick are lower than a month ago, and
lime, lath, glass, paints and paper are
unchanged.
The truth is that the new tariff doeY
not enhance the cost OF Il single neces.
sary Of life, but reduces the duties on
many. II higher prices are charged by
dealers for any necessary Of life, and the
tariff is mentioned as Oh excuse, the
customer may know that he is heinp
cheated, and he can find more honest
traders who make no such exaction,
The cost OF living has indeed been en-.
HANGED by the partial failure OF impor.
tant crops, and the effect OF that seri.
GUS loss is not yet fully felt perhaps.
But there Is n manufactured product,
in any measure q necessary OF lite, the
cost Of which has up to this time been
affected in the least by tho tariff. Tho
political tricksters who pretend the ON.
trary need tho merited correction OF de.
feat in November,