The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-06
AS TO BUILDERS HARDWARE
There Has Been Reduction All Along
the Line Under the New Tariff.
Tin Ii Cheaper and Of Better Quality Since
Americans Have Begun Making It
Another Merchant Talks.

in an increase IN price OF all the necessi-
ties Of life, and among those who would
feel its burdens most would be every work
ingman who undertook 10 build q house. or
TO furnish il, or TO clothe his family. The
Journal has proved in numerous interviews
that never In the history of trade were house
furnishings and clothing as cheap as at the
present time. 1t can also be shown that
building materials have been greatly re-
duced, while wages have been increased
and the hours of labor lessened. An inter-
view which ought to carry conviction with
il Was held yesterday with the Van Camp
Hardware Company. Every statement
made was vouched' for by the secretary OF
the company, Mr.. ID. &. BerguntbaL
There has been . general reduction OF
price IN every line of goods which We
handle,n he said. I'VE will go first into the
heavy hardware Department.; among the
cast steel and machine steel, car
rage wheels. springs and axles steel
and wire nails. all classes OF blacksmith
and machine-shop tools and suppi'es-in
fact everything into the manufacture OF
which iron or steel enters. 10 from 10 to 20
per cent. lower than two years ago. cheap
er. indeed, than they have been for twenty
fveyesrs"
How are the prices In the shslfware de-
partmentp
'.Here we find that carriage and machine
bolts hinges. common locks. screws almost
the entire line of hardware entering into
the construction of houses show decline
Of from TO Is per cent"
Does this hold true in regard to cut
leryT'
Eyes; notwithstanding an increase of
duty amounting To 1913 per cent, prices
are lower to-day than they were two years
ago. The American articles are of higher
grade, all the way through, both in quality
and finish. than are the foreign articles
What testimony can you give as to tin
PLATED"
Il can say this and prove it, that tin
plate il cheaper than it was before the Mo-
Kinley bill was passed. Two years ago we
paid the British manufacturer 81 box for
exactly what to-day we pay him s4.75. The
Democrats say the people are paying the
duty of 500. If that Is the case he ought TO
add this 20 his price. making $40 box.
On the contrary he deducts it. and the con-
sumner gets the benefit. Enough tin-plate
is being made here already TO produce COM
petition among our manufacturers. Ii this
industry 10 let alone for twelve months
prices Will continue to decline. Just rs
those of steel rails did. and We will supply
our own market"
"How does American tin compare in price
and quality with imported tint"
1T is inst as cheap and of superior iuali-
~. III We NIL ON order with Americaa tin.
his next order. IL has been thoroughly
tested for roofing purposes. and is fully
equal to tho imported. Ii the present ad-
mintstration Is not changed large num-
Der of new plants will start M within q
year, and this great industry will be virtu,,
ally transferred TO this side of the water"
ticlesi"
Yes, and they are greatly reduced in
price. The workingmAn's dinner-buoket
If n lrf IL for mai
teen-Quart qish-pans for $2.75 per dozen.
good wash boilers 81 per dozen. tin-oups rs
cents per dozen, ETC."
Can you name any articles IN your line
that have increased In price since the Nc
Kinley law went into effectp
when We look for goods that have adj
vanccd In price We do not lind them.
There has been q steady decline for two
years Take rope, for instance. The last
session of Congress- tried to take the tariff
OF of hemp. but were fought by the hemp
raisers of the Northwest Under protection
there has been decline OF 25 per cent. in
what effect has the Mckinley law had
on trader
''Our trade during the past season has
been unprecedented. Usually We look for
dull times during the campaign, but this
year It has had no such effect. For the past
> sixty days we nave been compelled 10 work
our force nearly every night. Even during
the past week our orders have come in rs
freely IS during any week during the sea-
SON."
what do you think would be the effect
of the election of Democratic Congressf'
1T would place us immediately on q very
conservative basis. Business men and man.
ufacturers would not feel like engaging in
new enterprises. i will give you a case in
point. This week q salesman for machin-
err. such rs Is used IN factories came TO In
diaDapolis and placed an order with an old
customer. who has been q lifelong Demo
rat "A M N xtxsov a.
The customer asked him what he thought
of the political situation. The salesman
replied that he thought there was scarcely
a doubt of Hsrrison's reelection. If
thought there Was q doubt OF it. said his
customer. Il would cut that order in two
There would be no demand for any more
factories for while'"
do you think the working people IN
derstand the situationp
From our stand point we cannot see
why workingman should vote directly
against his own interests. We employ
sixty men here. and there IL not one of
them who Is not receiving from 10 to 20 per
cent higher wages than he was two years
ago. They certainly should not want con.
ditions changed. Any disturbance of bnsi-
ness 10 felt at once by the wsge-enrners."
A visit to the Wolfram Bros. stove and
tin-wsre-dealerso on East w ASKING ton street.
elected enough information to fill a col
umn. and all of IL was gu bstantiated either
by the articles themsel YES or by price lists
which could not be disputed. II have been
In this business eighteen years. said Mr..
Wolfram, and / never sold tin-ware as
cheap as now. i used to sell these largo
pressed-tin dish pans At 81 so. now they are
90 cents. Here is the workingman's dinner
bucket st 20 cents. large coffee pots for Is
cents. pressed-tin sauce-pans cents, two
quart clippers D cents, pint cups cents,
and so on through the store"
What can you say Of tln-pIste for roof
ing purposesf'
II consider the American roofing or turpe-
plate superior to the foreign and quite as
cheap. Here 10 the price list Just receiv ed
from the Taylor Manufacturing Company
of Philadelphia, $1075 for what 1 would
have bad TO pay el2.25 last February, and
years ago used TO pay $50 for the same.
before We protected the industry in this
country"
Only time and spsce prevents the pu blsh-
ing OF dozens of such interviews as the
ABOVE. Several of especial i'm portance, be-
cause representing the largest firms in the
city. Will appear IN to-morrow's issue. In
no case was the business man who was in
terviewed asked as to his politics. In
many instances most excellent material has
been suppressed because one of the part
ners IN the firm was q Democrat and tho
others wished 10 spare his feelings. Il
could give you inform alton which would
be unanswerable Republican doctrine only
that would have To blast my Democratic
partner" faid member of one of the larg-
est firms on Washington street.
Every where we lind prosperity, factories
and mills running on full time. every body
employed, wages higher. prices reduced.
These interviews have not been located in