The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-10
PRICES HAVE NOT GONE UP
The Democratic Scare Over the Mckinley
Law Yanishes in Face of Facts.
Merchants Say They Are Selling Goods at Fig
ures No Higher hanLast Year-American
Silks Better than the Imported.

When the Mckinley bill became a law q
large number of free-trade prevaricators
were busy going up and down in the land
predicting an enormous advance in the
price of everything worn by man. woman
and child. 1t didn't make any difference
whether the articles were manufactured
abroad OF IN this country. Now that the
law is fairly in operation. a Journal re-
porter thought it might not be wholly un-
interesting to take n little turn among the
retailers with a view TO discovering just
how much more their patrons were called
upon to pay for goods in the summer of
1891 than in the summer of 1890. 1t was to
be a practical illustration of the Mckinley
law with before and "after-taking' views.
The first inquiry was made at the When
clothing store. Clothing" said Mr.. J.. Il.
Cameron. in answer. lis about the same
now as at this time last year. Take a ten
dollar suit. We have never before been
able to give as handsome a suit for that
money as now. And the same may be said
OF higher priced goods. Hats are no higher.
In some grades they are lower
Hats" said H.. Bamberger, "are rela-
lively the same price as last year. but L
think we sell q better quality at the same
money. This Is due TO competition among
manufacturers. For instance, If manu-
f%acturer A gets out a hat at SPA q dozen. Ii
gets OUT a better at the same price, and G.
improves stillmorei In stock and triinulpgs."
The SELLING price of our goods at this
season" said the manager at the Model
clothing house, lis neither higher nor lower
than at this time last year. Ii is exactly
the same"
"Our prices to consumers Said Leopold
Strauss, OF the OrigiDai Eagle clothing
house, are about the same as last summer.
This Is true of hats. clothing and gentle
mems furnishings. OF course, In Imported
goods there Is seine advance in prlces.N
carpets are selling as low now as ever"
said Mr.. Lee, of Eastman. Schleicher& Lee.
This Is largely due TO increased competi-
ton In this city. for we have to pay more
for them. Ths prices for draperies are to
consumers materially less than in former
years In the general line of wall papers
there is no advance" At the carpet-house
OF Albert Gall Information was to tie Ell
feet that the consumer Is paying no moro
for goods now in the general lines, though
there has been IA advance to the dealer.
That no cbcnge has taken place has been
due to the tact that dealers bought anticl-
patlng the advance.
formation that prices were inst as ~favora-
bic to customers this summer as at u cor
responding time last year; IN some lines
perhaps even a little lower.
Cigar-dsalers say that those whe smoke
the highest priced goods, imported Havanas
and Key West goods, pay more for them,
that cigars that formerly sold at two fer a
quarter, now must sell at straight ID cents
TO afford sufficient profit. But they say
that the seed and Havana cigar, domestic,
Is preferred by most smokers. and there has
been no advance TO the consumer on those
goods. On the contrary. they hold that
both 10 and 5-cent goods are better now
thar they have ever been III the history of
the country.
At the New York store John Laurie gave
the information that muslins and domesties
are as cheap this season as at the same time
last year; ever in linens, the prices are
practically the same There has been no
advance i'll domestic draperies, silks and
cheailles. Lace curtains have advanced.
1T would require a magnifying glass;"
remarked Ii. L. Wasson, Ito tell any differ
ence as to prices. DOmestics are about the
same as last year. Silks have never been
cheaper than now. American silks are good
hone are better. When il comes To novel
tres, of course, the French always have
the call. They are a luxury, and people
expect to pay for them. lie is not intrinsic
you can't tell the difference between French
and American, and they 60 cheap. To-day
the designs IN American prints are hand
somer than any imported stuff. We are get
ting to Do Americans with q big A in the
dry-g0Ods line.0
mo sir. goods have not advanced to the
consumer" remarked l.. s.. Ayers. with EN-
phasis. "They have steadily declined.
Goods never were as cheap as they are now.
Silks! Why, sir, 80 per cent. of the silks sold
are made in this country. and they are re-
cognized as better than imported silks.
Chinese and Japanese silks are cheaper
than last year. We were told last year we
were not going to get any good hosiery.
Now we never had as good imported hosiery
at the prices we are able to sell mt to-day.
The stuff that has ad anc we don't need
to touch. Europe can not produce as good
silks to-day as we have in this country
made by American improved machinery.
That's a fact. There is no change in linens
except that they average a little lower IN
price than a year ago. This fall we will
give the best velvet for the money that ever
was made. ard il Will he made in the
United States, mark that"