New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-30
TINWARE.
THE TRUTH ABOUT PRICES.
~ GOOD POLITICAL LESSON AS THE RESULT ob
A WoNAN'S GOOD SENSE AND Pf'o-
LoNGEp SHOPPING EXCURSION

-
WONAN'S GOOD SENSE AND Pf'o-
LoNGEp SHOPPING EXCURSION.
tour among the large and small wholesale re,i'
and manufacturing tlrware establishments OF tne .
In, been made by Tribune reporter with the oD!ecI
oI learning how present prices compare WIN 'nose
,hich prevailed before the Mckinley BILL was trameu'
He learned really remarkable Things III ""u"'''
10 the comparison Of prices prevailing uich anu NV"
Among other things, he found out thar 'here was Il"
standard OF retail values that ior certain loc""io
articles some retailers ore charging from 100 10 'oo
49, cont mora than other dealers. and that In many
instances the dealers whose prices are lowest are
reapng a profit Of not less than 100 per cent o'cr
tbe net wholesale price. He found dealers WIN "'
blushincly declared that their high charges were
caused by the Mckinley bill. In many such places
bc bonrht samples OF tinware, and, fading them 10
q wholesaler, asked for quotations on them lor H"so
lots. as II he possible purchaser. 10 Ills
tstonishment he found that the retail prices w"Fo
tencralv from 200 TO COO per cent greater than Tie
Wholesale prices. TO none OF the dealers ala he rep
resent himself as q newspaper man; nor ala he men
hon politics TO them. The information obtan'n mus
came In an absolutely unbiased and appropriated fo
fhe samples with the dealers own prices plainly
vaayaed thereon furnish abundant corTobOration IL
any were needed.
The Investigation came about In a peculiar way "A
,srtan Mrs. stetson keeps certain hlghclass board
he house uptown. The boarhers. as boardrrs VIII.
lad discussed the tarif. the "Force" BILL the stlhe"
ut Homestead and at Buffalo the silver question: the
hholero the certainty OF President HaTison's re-
Election the relations OF capital and labor to each
other and lot Of other scriovs topics. Mrs Stets"A
4, n very Intelligent woman and one day she con-
6dentally admitted to q friend that the economic
dscussops OF some OF her boarder gave her Intense
WEAKNESS.
eve prudent housewives" said she. "who do the
Nuvfng for our families and large families AT th''
o<poot nff ha
tariff or any other legislation for that matter, upon
The actual neccssares Of the household than lot
of fellows who spend their money for gewgaws ana
adorx the views they read without giving them any
thoughtful consideration whatever"
One day. when Mr. Banks. clerk In downtown
pface. who hopes day TO become Tsmmahy
brave had sneered at the new American tn-pEte IN
dustrv rs "rot" and Mr.. Thornton, whose aspirations
were almost II not quite high lad declared thnt
the Mckinley bill had raised the cost Of everything
4, the honse from q tin cup to tidy, Mrs. stetsoh
became very tired. She never took part III inc dS-
cussions holding herself rather apart from her
boarders. She IS widow, and Is trylng 20 u III
dependent One of the boarders made 1t rule never
N discuss politics or religion with the Others In me
house. Mrs. Stetson seemed attracted toward HIM
more than toward the Others perhaps because ne hao
so much less to say
Mrs. stetson sat down at the quiet boarders table
enc evening when he was late for dinner Inc o'heS
4. had all left the room.
aMr. Jonouil," said She "when they the other
boarders. Who by some coincidence. are chiefly Demo
crats) saw all sorts Of queer things about politics. why
don't you-well, just squash 'emF'
"souash 'emG" replied Jonquil "why shcnld
ain the first place." she sald with animation. 1T
+ your duty. Yon onght not TO let them iom'ht
their very wrong theories. and by continuing TO omeh
them brew them into whole watts OF convictions whch'
BY word two. you might d's'foy ther ei'''o
structure Of argument"
Admitting the duty, my dear madam how can
presume TO oppose them when they quote facts ana
figures with which am not in the least familiar =
sFacts and figures, indeedi' And the good woman's
expression Of in keeping with the emphasis
Then she went on. "Facts and figures. Indeed
vhy they know nothing at all but what they have
read in newspaper that favors their own part'
san incinatons. They accept what they read without
thinking and without stopping TO think. parrotnke'
they repeat what been told to them Their only OBJ
iect in is get much they can for as little out
Inv as possible. II they ever become heads OF families
they will know more. fai more. than they do now
about the cost OF the necessares OF e unless by that
fine they are so rich as to be unmlndul OF de
fails of expense To know the effect Of the present
tariff legislation upon households necessaries. one
must 60 among the traders who have such things to
SELL / have kept this house for ten years. and l
know that am paying less for most things now than
have had TO pay al any time during those ten years"
that housewife might need would make tour Of
the stores and get the information you suggest"
said Mr.. Jon0ui
"You wouldn't be SAFE" the landlady asserted
positively, for they would be sure to deceive you
Most men are in business to make money. They are
not all as scrupulous they might be. However,
II you will permit me, will 90 with you.'
The offer was gratefully accepted. and the following
day was fixed for the expedition. AS the shoppers
set out the reporter suggested that, as the whole
subject Of household necessares was extremely
broad one single article or set OF articles should
DO selected an object for investigation Mrs. stet
sen agreed, and. In turn. suggested TN was now
q popular subject OF discussion, few OF the cou-
monest articles Of tinware should be investigated.
Thus IL was that the reporter happened to begin
search for knowledge that resulted In many
tonshing disclosures.
The first stop made at a large store in Vesey-
st. noted for exceptional bargains, where the follow
ing quotations were obtained
Coaes pot sia swoQuart y y
Dibier pail tin two-quart plain q
Nuk pan. tin sixQuart 10
pint tin cup purchased as a sample. 1t
3 simple affair. known block tin, pieced. The
bottom was soldered on, the handle The top
Of the cup bent and soldered around wire.
making the edge smooth. While the cup being
wrapped up the reporter asked
Has there been any change In the prices You have
quoted within year or two, or three or four years 7"
"Eot cent to the buyer" was the reply, although
We may have had to pay little more for some Of the
things. An increase Of % cents gross slight
that 1t does not infect the price Of single articles TO
the consumer Besides. where there has been slight
Increase in the wholesale price, 1t has been Offset by
an equal reduction on some other article"
Slxthave. Is well known for its great marts for
bargains. II would be difficult TO name an article OF
common use In the household that canno; be dupl-
IN Qixth mi liz ha allai
Bargsin-st. The shoppers stopped at little store
near the lower end OF the 1t is store that
is patroniEed largely by the people OF moderate cir
eumstAnoes. who live the west side Of the lower
part OF the city, principally In tenements. The same
class Of articles priced Mt The previous store,