The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-09-30
PRICES No HIGHER
IUTIN MANY INSTANCES THEY
ARE MUCN LOWER.
Since the Passage OF the Mckinley Tariff
Law---Democratic Lies About Higher
Prices Completely Refuted---PIain Talk
by Practical Business Men.

The Democrats, in the state campaign
OK 1890, told the ladies' that the effect
OF the Mckinley bill would be to in
crease materially the cost of imported
goods, for the increased duty would be
added. The ladies were also told that
the domestic product would also be in
creased in cost, FOR the American manu-
facturer would add the Increased duty
They were assured that protective
tariff was always levied only to allow
the domestic producer to add to the
cost of his article and that he would do
SO, as soon as the Mckinley bill went
into effect. Did it work that way?
Read the following interview with
member of the firm of Strong, Lee &
Co., wholesale dry goods dealers of
Detroit:
Strong, Lee & Co. say hat, while the
Mckinley bill advanced very materially
the duty on silk-faced velvets, they had
but very recently purchased IMPORTED
slLK-FACED vELvETs AT LOWER PRICES THAN
EVER BEFORE. They say, also. that silk
faced velvets are being manufactured In
this country, that are fully EQUAL TO THE
FOREIGN ARTICLE IN EVERY PARTICULAR.
Cotton laces were advanced in duty from
40 per cent ad valorem to o per cent nd
valorem and silk laces from 50 per cent ad
valorem TO 90 per cent ad valorem. and yet
they were enabled to purchase from the
manufacturers abroad, these articles by
reason or an increased discount at PRICES
As Low OR LOWER THAN BEFORE THE PAS
SAGE OF THE BILL. thus sho wing conclusively
that on the articles above mentioned THE
PRICES HAVE BEEN DE CREASED by the manu-
facturers Just about the amount of the in
creased duty. The firm also states that
they have but recently purchased fine en-
Droidered cotton HANDKERCHIEFS AT
CHEAPER PRICES THAN EVER BEFORE. That
the prices of staple DOMESTIC GOODS ARE
LOWER THAN EVER.
This shows that the foreign manu-
facturer is glad to pay the additional
tax, in the way of increased discounts
to American purchasers, for the priv
ilege of selling his goods in our
market. The consumer pays no more,
the American manufacturer can pay
American wages and the United States
treasury is the gamer. No federal tax
gatherer visits the American citizen,
but the foreign manufacturer pays the
federal taxes.
That the prices of clothing have not
been increased by the Mckinley bill is
attested by the statements of promin-
ent Detroit clothing merchants. Here
follow three of them:
Mr.. Fox, manager of the custom tailoring
department of Mabley & Co., says that the
effect of the Mckinley bill was in most
cases to cause an increase in prices to our
merchants on imported goods this being
more particularly the case in continental
manufactures, but in many cases among
the English manufacturers THE INCREASE
oFDUTY WAS MET BY THE MANUFACTURER WITH
CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN PRICE. He
thinks that the better and the medium
grades OF American made goods will COM
pare favorably with the same grades of
foreign make. On the whole there has been
NO ADVANCE IN PRICES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS
on either the foreign or the American
goods.
j. l.. Hudson says that, while the duty
was increased on almost all the lines Of
imported woolens handled by them, the
increase represented in made up garment
was so small that, in most cases, NO AD-
VANCE IN IRtCE HAS BEEN MADE to his Gus
toners. In the line of worsteds and the
finer grades of cloths. the home prod ction
is inferior to the foreign made. though in
the matter OF cheviots and cassimeres they
will compare favorably with those made
abroad. That the passage Of THE MKINLEY
BILL IN NO WISE AFFECTED THE COST OF DO
MEsTICs and that goods Of the latter make
are now sold as cheaply as ever before.
Moll & Stock say that foreign manu-
tacturers have In some instances added the
increased duty to the price Of the goods,
but their firm being heavy buyers are thus
enabled to secure HEAVY DISCOUNTS THAT
MORE THAN OFFSET THE INCREASE OF DUTY
and that they are able therefore to SELL TO
THEIR CUSTOMERS AT OLD PRICES. They
think that the best of grades OF Ameri-
can made cloths will compare favorably
with the better grades OF foreign manu-
facture.
No intelligent voter in Michigan can
read the above statements without
approaching the depths of falsehood
and misrepresentation to which the
Democrats of this state descended to
delude the people into trusting them.
There is no honorable escape for the
Democracy. If their statements were
not deliberate efforts to deceive the
people, then they were the evidences
of utter incompetence to judge Alright
in public questions-an incompetence
which should effectually bar that party
from any participation in state affairs.
The people of Michigan cannot trust
so deceitful, or so incompetent party
in power.