Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-12-05
cARrc.s AND THE TARIFF.
RrilliaLt Promises End In Failure-What
the Carpet Men Think of the Mckinley

RrllliaLt Promises End In Failure-What
the Carpet Men Think of the Mckinley |
Tariff
The carpet manufacturers OF Phila- |
lelphia raised, according to their own
admissions, fund of about $500, 800 to
assist in the election of Benjamin Har-
rison. In return for this benevoience
on their part they were promised addi-
tional protection. Some of them
wanted the duty on carpet woods which
are not grown in this country, reduced,
and all wanted additional protection.
A fact which in part explains their
desire to have higher duties was this,
that at that time they were making ar
rangements to form cast iron agree
ment to limit production, raise prices
and in this way get back their money
from the consumers OF carpets
Those who demanded lower duties
on wool, however, were disappointed.
The duties on carpet woods were raised
80 high that many kinds of wool could
no longer be imported. Mckinley and
his associates, however, granted them
liberal increase in protection on their
carpets.
Now what has been the result? The
carpet manufacturers had to pay higher
prices for their wool, all of which has
to be imported. As result they raised
the price of their carpets. The people
refused to pay these advanced prices
and followed Jay Gould's advice to the
farmers and workingmen and left the
Did carpets on ther floors.
As a result of this one of the largest
carpet firms in the country, that of Alex
ander Smith & Sons, has been forced
to sell its stock Of over $4,000, 900 at
auction at what it will bring At the
opening of the sale Walter W. Law.
the sellers representative, said to the
gentlemen of the carpet trade present:
"The Alexander Smith g. Sons Car
pet Co. offer you to-day an unparalleled
opportunity for supplying yourselves
with their fabrics at your own price.
We have no hesitation whatever in in
viting you TO put your own value upon
every piece we have in stock, except
ing only the few patterns which we
have prepared for the spring of 1892
With the removal of these accumula-
tions, the only serious problem with
which carpet manufacturers will have
to contend is the high price of wool
caused by the Mckinley bill and the
still more severe Interpretation OF its
meaning by the treasury department
Remember, high prices for wool mean
high cost to manufacture carpets. Gen
temen, this is your day; ours will come
later"
Nor are Alexander Smith & Sons
alone in showing the blighting effects
of the Mckinley tariff on carpets. The
actual situation could not be expressed
better or clearer than the following
from Arthur L. Lyman, the treasurer
of the Lowell Carpet Co., the largest
establishment in New England. Mr.,
Lyman said: "That the Mckinley bill
increased the cost of carpets; that the
prices OF carpets were increased in con-
sequence of the Mckinley bill; that
they would not have advanced If the
Nc Kinleyi bill had not been passed, and
that if wool had been made free the
cost and prices Of carpets would have
gone down are facts that cannot be
disputed by anyone who understands
the carpet manufacture and trade and
its conditions in 1890 and 1891"