Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-05-21
The Ruin" Brought About by the
Mckinley Bill Shocking
to the Democratic Hosts.
Business Men Show That the Meas
ure Has Not Hurt But Mat
erially Aided All.
People Now Receive More for Their
Money and Farmers Get Bet
ter Prices for Produce.


ingly grew more sanguinary from the
hour the Mckinley bill was introduced
until it was a law 1t is now over six
months that the farmer has been bonn
barded by the direful Mckinley bill
itself, and he is just beginning to look
around upon the debris of taxes" and
Calling farm prices" His wheat which
was worth 50 cents last fall has gone down
in price to 81 10. His corn, oats and
potatoes have fallen under a rising re-
duction of from % to 70 cents per bushel.
The quotations on his butter, cheese,
cattle and hogs have met with an oppres
sive upward revision Of 25 per cent. The
tax on his necessaries gives him for his
dollar so per cent. more sugar, III per cent
more binding twine. The dinner pail
tax did not survive even our mild north
west winter; while the only signs of the
'extortionate taxes on the clothes on the
farmers bach, are the red figure mark
down sales which paint red the shop win
dows of the land with advertisements OF
''the lowest slaughter prices known to the
trade"
The testimony of practical business
men six months after the enactment of
the Mckinley bill would seem to be
weightier evidence than the gilded rhet-
oric Of partisanship before the bill had
time to take effect. There seem to be
those whose still rest their faith on paint
ed antitrust election predictions. The
Minneapolis Tribune, therefore, has secur-
ell interviews with representative Min
neapolis retail merchants, who herewith
deal with cold but interesting facts.
S. f. Olson & Co., dry goods-Ihere
was great furry about election time that
prices would rise Dealers not posted In
sisted that prices must increase with the
schedules The sequel shows how little
those people knew. 1t was a political
scene, all theory and no fact In spite of
the predictions of jobbers, prices have
steadily gone downward. Today prices
are lower in nearly all lines of dry goods
than they were last October. Even in
purchasing our next fall stock, we have
paid higher prices ON not a single article.
With a few trihing exceptions for fancy
things, this holds good for all grades OF
dry goods.
Manager of nickle plate shoe COMPANY
'"There is not shoe in this house that is
raised in price to the wearer.
Aitman's clothing house-"The recent
tariff has mad no effect to raise prices.
Our goods are mostly American made.
Our weavers rCan compete with any. The
tendency is With cheaper goods, through
greater home production and competition.
We are Acknowledgement democrats, but
will sell all wool and worsted goods at 10
per cent cheaper today than when the
Mckinley bill went into effect
I. M. Roberts, hardware There is no
rises in prices at all. Many goods are
lower / know of nothing in which our
prices have advanced, nor even IN the
Nottingham tin pail. Nails are so low
that they can't 90 much lower and leave
anything for the maker
Bradstreet, Thurber & Co., furniture
The tariff has made no great difference
with our trade. The prices now and 4
year ago are about the same. A few I'M
ported fancy articles cost the eSthetic taste
a little more, and there are some staple do
nestle goods that are cheaper. On the
whole it is about standotf.
Big Boston, clothing-American made
staple clothing is abodt the same figure.
Imported furnishing goods cost little
extra.
Xerxa, groceries There is no marked
change in prices, except III sugar, which Is
nearly 40 per cent. cheaper. There Is a
slight increase In the cost of few Import
ed cigars and bottled goods, which Is hard
ly perceptible in It's effecr upon the trade as
sugar made goods makes the new tariff a
saving to the trade.
Gordon's Minneapolis Dry Goods COM
pany-We are selling goods this month as
cheap as ever, but on hosiery and some
other imported articles we may be forced a
little higher on the fall stock.
A. Knoblauch. shoes-Our shoes in sta
pie lines are cheaper than year ago. Only
fapn>, 1n,nprta5 patnpt Loaf hpr and FraI1 n
goods are in any manner affected by tariff.
have lust paid Is cents less per pair for
first class calf shoe, than | paid last fall.
A. e. Miller & Son, hardware
teen-twentietns of our goods are American
products unaffected by the tariff. Hardware
was never so low as now. Nails. tools,
wire and numerous articles are reduced In
price Tin plate is a little higher, but
the pail is not American manufacturers
make better gaoas every year at lower
prices.
At Harrison's, cIothier-Those lines in
which there is an increased cost of mate
teriaI show an increased cost of from s to
10 per cent. in the cost of suit.
r. s. Goodfellow, dry goods-Domestic
goods are the same now as IN October, or
cheaper. We are getting no advance IN
prices on anything. Certain imported
things may cost tri1e higher; but our
stock as a whole we are selling as low as
we ever sold.
Browning. King & Co, clothing and fur
nishing goods--Our clothing prices are
not appreciably affected Certain import
ed furnishings and materials cost trltie
higher. but effect on the cost of a garment
is hardly noticeable, and will not affect orr
charges to the wearer.
Janney, Semple & Co., wholesale hard,
ware-Nails, screws, rope, building paper
and other goods have declined. Imported
tin plate and cutlery cost more. On most
goods the price is unaffected. The cost of
hardware for building and fitting house
is rather less.
W L. Harris, New England Furniture
company-There is some rise in carpets,
but that has nothing to do with the Nc
Kinley bill. Heavy home competition
ruade October prices unusually low; in
fact, prices had been going from bad tc
worse for three or four years A moderate
increase to living prices was agreed upon,
and the benefit went to the workmer
in increased pay. In furnl
ships TO G.eat Britain and South America
Our Zig liter and neater designs are taking
the place of cumbersome old fashioned
foreign styles. No foreign goods toucl
the northwest and the trade here is not af
fected by tariff America 5 factory capac
ity is such that the immense quantities
goods turned out tend to make pr1oe
rldiculously low. Our deed IS wide
market.
w. L. Rothchild, Palace Clothing com