Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-01-21

spiracy of this kind among thousands
Of merchants and statesmen, and work
it effectively for the accomplishment
of tremendous political upheaval.
The elements Of conspiracy are too
heterogeneous and too widely scatter
ed to be welded in day or month
Democrats therefore could we'll afford
to ignore the babble of conspiracy.
Still, as people soon become used to
new scale ofprices and are prone to
accept whatever is as inevitable if not
right, it will he well to remind them
occasionally of what has happened
and what they have to expect. Let
us take few cases out of many in
which prices have advanced, or are
about to be advanced.
Recently the Dry Goods Economist
stated that certain worsteds had been
dumped up" from 20 to 25 cents a
yard, or % per cent. and other grades
in proportion, and that a further
jump was to be expected.
Some time ago ingram carpets were
dumped up, "and on the 18th inst
the American Wool Reporter, in its
review of the market, said: "The
advance in ingrains was far from sat
isfactory, and it is hoped that a furth-
er rise, commensurate with the in
creased cost of yarn, will be obtained
after Jan. /.
: Hardware, in its issue of the 10th
inst, discoursed with much satisfaction
concerning "the tariff on scissors" and
ended by saying:
The recent legislation will thus be
seen to fix the rate on scissors at a
higher figure than any proceeding
schedule. 1t is understood that the
leading firms have increased prices in
consequence, about 10 per cent. The
charges imposed upon cartons under
the customs administration bill have
also had an effect upon the prices of
these goods.
1t is not the imported article alone
that has been effected thus agreeably
to producers, for at least two domestic
manufacturers have announced an in-
crease in the price Of shears and other
cutlery.
Canned lard and meats haye been
advanced quarter Of cent per
pound, and canned vegetables still
more in consequence of the increased
tax on tin plates. 1t is true that the
new tax does not 90 into effect until
the lst of July next, but tin has adj
vanced in anticipation Of the new
rate. This is not a new or strange
thing in the history Of tariffs. Manu-
facturers and dealers often put up
their prices before a new or increased
tax takes effect and pocket the tax
themselves for the time being.
In letter to the Dry Goods Econo-
mist misrepresentation of Klein, Harri-
man & Co., has this to say about
hosiery:
The general average of prices com
pared with prices before the new tar
if was enacted is an advance averag.
ing 10 to 20 per cent. Many old
goods are still in the market, but in
general an advance is being asked for
them equal to the bare cost Of the
new importations. while importations
under the new tariff have to bear u
still greater increase in price.
The Boston Herald gives the figures
of a recent importation of table glass
ware, medium kind, from Antwerp
The foreign cost was $1,775; duty,
81 ,065, of which S4S was on straw and
cases under the administrative act ;
old duty, $742.30; difference, S322.70,
or more than 43 per cent. conse-
quence, American manufacturers re-
fuse orders at old prices.
The company handling the Jaeger
sanitary wooden goods has issued a cir
cular announcing that the increased
duties will compel it to advance prices
after Jan. 1. The new price list
shows an advance of over 20 per cent.
The foregoing will suffice for an in
stallment. There is much more of
the same sort that Mr.. Clarkson and
his party associates will have to pop
ularize if, as they assure us, they are
going to fight the battle of 1892 on
the lines Of the tariff Chicago Her.
aid.