The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-04-03
CARPET PRICES

N~r-rdE-Ea f@fetGES-
ss2EsEZInIey Prices ssIEI Prevail FOR Bras
sells CErPets-ELcEziuley' Duty on Wool
the Cauze-A PIses OF stupid Prosec-
ton
The protectiouist papers have recen tly
been trying to make it appear that Nc
prices have been raised by the AIcKin-
ley tariff law They even claim that
the free trade papers" have abandoned
the cry OF Mckinley prices and thus
practically confessed that the whole
thing was from the first "a humbuQ,
gotten up last fall 70 influence the cleo
ton.
Whatever the free trade papers may
leave unsaid, however, the trade papers
are supplying These journals are de
voted to business and not to politics,
but they still print facts which show
that Mckinley prices have not yet
disappeared One of these journals. the
New York Carpet and Upholstery Trade
Review, has recently had something to
say on the subject of the increased
prices of Brussels carpets. This paper
represents the interest of American
carpet manufacturer and as such is
supporter of protection What it saws
therefore Is free from the suspicion of
being Gin the interest of foreign manu-
facturers" or as being ian attempt to
break down American industries
Here is what the Review SAYS:
Brussels manufacturers have been as drm
as rock on prices this season for the rea-
son that it is the only salvation for their
business. Buyers may think the advance on
Brussels is abnormal. but such - not the
ease The Increased duty and cost OF wool
on the other side will foot up n-iderably
more tAan the advance as computation viii
quickly show. The advance on carpeting
was compulsory aud not in the nature OF an
perceptible on Brussels owing TO the me
quality and large quantity OF wool used In
the goods.
The Review is entirely right in saw
Ing that this advance was compulsory.
The old duty on the better class Of
carpet woods was cents a pound which
was equal TO 80 per cent; the Mckinley
duty is 50 per cent. ad valorem.
Mr.. George d. Bromley, a prominent
carpet manufacturer of Philadelphia,
has been recently interviewed on this
subject. Mckinley having raised the
duties on carpets to compensate the
manufacturers, as he said, for the in
creased duties on wool, Mr.. Bromley
was asked whether the Mckinley law
had helped the carpet manufacturers.
His answer was as follows:
We have have not been benefited directly
by the present tariff as it has necessitated
an advance on carpets. Indirectly we may
possibly be benefited, as there may be more
OF a demand for carpets as business general
" improves, but only in this way we ex-
pect any benefited The advance on carpet
wools has lesscned impCrtatiOns and made
it hard for carpet manufacturers to obtain
supplies The only way to do with carpet
woods Is 30 let them come In fires OF duty.
The absurdity of the duty on carpet
woods is that we do not produce this
grade of wool, except to a very limited
extent. The increased protection con
Germs only a few ranchmen and Next
can herdsmen in the far southwest.
Americans who find it profitable to
raise wool at all cOnfine their attention
to the higher grades of wool worth %
to 80 cents a pound. They would be
great fools to abandon the raising of
wool of this kind and take up a breed
of sheep producing wool worth only 10
cents pound or less.
Yet it is precisely this latter kind of
wool which forms the bulk OF our i'm
ports. We imported 1000, 600 pounds
Of it last year, against only "a, 600, 600
pounds of the finer grades of wool