The record-union., 1891-08-19

With this important piece of informa-
ton, the Mckinley worshiper closed his
very impartial testimony. When he
looks back over what he said, he will
find the profoundly philosophical state
ment that he is in favor of everything
that Mckinley does; that he is very
smart; that goods are little higher, but
that French slippers remain the same as
before. Of course, the farmers wives
and the laborers' and mechanics wives
don't wear French slippers. Every
thing is little higher except French
slippers. And this broad-minded, states
man-like American proclaims that he is
in favor of everything Mckinley does.
A milliner declared that velvets, milli-
merry and silks are dearer, but importers
take advantage of the bill and raise prices
where there is no need of it. Continuing,
the lady said: ''Ostrich feathers have
nothing to do with the bill"
Thus, according to the testimony of this
milliner, the bill did not raise the tariff
on ostrich feathers. Ostrich feathers be-
ing an article of necessity, used chiefly
by the poor, the bill carefully
guarded the rights of American labor
and left the tariff the same. An
other milliner, however, testified that
imported velvets are much higher-about
10 per cent. increase in the price-that
ribbons are higher about per cent. and
that imported flowers are about the same.
The next following interview declares
that ribbons are 10 to Is per cent. cheaper.
a glove-dealer gave the true inward
ness of the whole situation. We quote
his interview as follows:
There is reduction in some things,
''but others equalize matters. There
lis not much difference yet, but there
probably will be in another season. No
difference in ribbons. Only a few
fancy ribbons are imported. Gloves are
decidedly higher-10 to Is per cent.-but
''the cheap glove shows the advance
mostly"
Here again the cheap article shows the
greatest advance. This same merchant
did the pearl button business in great
shape. He knocks the fellow who de-
clared pearl buttons raised before the
Mckinley bill went down under the
operation of that bill, into cooked hat,
and declares that pearl buttons are very
much higher, about 90 per cent; that
in other buttons there is no change. It
| is evident from the preponderance of
testimony that the pearl button makers
got in their work through Mckinley;
that there was some special and sub
stantial reason for putting high tariff
on pearl buttons.
The most intelligent testimony pub
| lished by the Chronicle is that Of the
bookkeeper Of a house, who knows the
mathematics of finance, and works out
the figures with accuracy. We take the
liberty of presenting his testimony as an
offset to the gentleman who is in favor Of
everything Mckinley does. This finan-
cial arithmetician says:
1.-The bill is a great disadvantage. If
there is an advance in duty the pur-
| chaser loses. l see great falling off in
business. Everything is dearer When
lever you see reduction it is old stock
''or domestic goods. We sell great deal
''of pongee, but we only make dollar
ION fifteen yards. I see no increase in
wages"
Upon the whole, the interviews pub
| lished by the Chronicle under heads de-
signed to maintain and advance the popu-
! larity of the Mckinley bill establish
thoroughly every theory that has been
advanced. One merchant says the mer-
chant loses all the advance made by the
! Mckinley bill. Another declares the
customer must necessarily loss it all.
! One says nothing has advanced; another
| says everything has advanced. One says
! he sees no compensation to American
! labor. while another says.he sees no ad-
t
bill. One declares that pearl buttons
were brought down to their proper level
! by the Mckinley bill, while three others
declare that pearl buttons went up, one
of them specifying the raise at so per
cent The only thing on which there
is a consensus of testimony is that the
| greatest advance has been in the price of
cheaper articles, such as are used by the
common people. Thus under the plea of
advancing American wages, the cost Of
living of the wage-earner is increased
Yet one of the most intelligent of the
merchants interested says that it has not
resulted in any advance to American
wages.
CHINA having admitted to her realm
the people of foreign lands, either as
merchants, travellers or missionaries, is