News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-06-25
The Era of Low Prices.
From the New York Tribune.

FROM the New Ork Tribune.
There has never been a time in the
previous history of this country when
manufactured goods as awhole could
be purchased so cheaply as they can
now. The goods in which there has
been any advance during the last
year are remarkably few in rumber
and in proportion to the aggregate
consumption are quite insignificant
All the great classes of manufactured
goods, the products which represent
a large proportion of the entire con
sumption of such articles, are lower
or as low at this time as ever before
Many kinds of cotton goods, for in
stance, and among them those of the
largest consumption, are at the low.
est prices ever made. Boots and
shoes are not only about as low as
at any other time in forty years, but
considering the wonderful improve
ment in qualities sold under the same
name since the last period of low
prices, are really much cheaper thar
ever before. This is also true of wool
en- goods, of the qualities most large
ly consumed, though a few grades
that are used only by the wealthy
and may properly be classed as arti
cles of luxury, have been advanced
Nominally pig-iron costs a little
more than it did at the lowest point
ever touched in 1878, but it NAV
fairly be questioned whether the DUAL
ity of iron then classed as No. 1 an
thracite foundry was superior to
grades which are now selling at
about as low price.
These are facts generally known to
manufacturers and merchants in the
different trades, and to most buyers
also, where they have open or hon
est markets to deal in. Occasionally
there come to light even now instan-
ces of dealers, generally in remote
and isolated towns, who are charg-
ing outrageous prices for goods and
swindling consumers on the pretext
that the new tariff has advanced the
cost. Thus The American Econo-
mist recently received q note of in
quiry from a town in South Dakota
with samples of goods bought there.
An indigo print, out of date and
scarcely selling at all in this market
now, standard brands selling at 5B
cents per yard, was selling in this Da-
kOta town at Is cents, and "double
and twist denims," of lighter weight
than the standard which sells here at
10 to 10y cents, was selling in that
town for twenty cents. The exposure
of the swindling dealer will doubtless
have it's rightful effect on his business
in the future.
But in most cases, and in nearly
all parts of the country. the prices of
manufactured goods are so low that
consumers can get better articles than
they could ever before obtain for the
same money. This is in great part
the direct effect of a protective sys-
tenn which has encouraged home pro
ductlon and home competition to the
utmost. Now and then a manufac-
turer is found who would much pre-
fer to have lower range of duties.
such as would prevent a further de-
velopment of industries in this coun-
try, and leave him a profitable mon
opoly. But the producers as q rule
are in accord with the consumers.
They realize that control of the
American market, by far the largest
and the most rapidly growing in all
the world, gives them the best chance
for progress and prosperity they can
possibly have, even though there
must come with it sharp competition
Ot domestic consumers and narrow
of profit.
The thing most needed at this time
S to force upon the attention of the
people IN all parts of the country the
act THAI they are now entitled to,
ma In most cases actually get, low
II prices for the products of protect
81 industries as whole than at any
previous time. If there are other
;ases of persistent swindling by deal
'rs like the one reported from Dako-
ia, local Republican journals or ac-
i've Republicans can render no bet
5er service to their party or their
'ountry than by exposing them. 1t
vii cost only little to send samples.
vl6h statements of prices paid, to !
hose IN this or other cities who can
eadlly consult wholesale dealers and
onward the information desired.
leanWhile, prices of farm products
r. relatively higher than they have |
zen Tor some years past, and while |
is neither fair nor sensible to at
rlbute that change wholly to the
peraGlons of the new tariff. if is
veltheless a decided and practical
eneit to the farmers, which thew
annot fail to appreciate.