Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-19

The Mckinley B.n Reduces the Price
OF Ameucaa Made Guns.

OF AneTlcaa MADE Guns
Editor HERALD: Montgomery Ward
4 Co., who, among otneF things. are
perhaps the heaviest dealers OF sport
Ing goods of any fiFm Ia the United
states. III their seml-annual catalogue
Of l559-e0, al the head OF their gun de-
srtment. make tie following state
neut, Which copy verbatim
All prices on guns are subject 10
| change in price without nollce. FOrelgn
makers nave already advanced pTees
/ 10 per cent, and II the tariff n.il now
before congress becomes a az guns
viii be advanced from IS o. $40 eaca.
Watch this bill aud keep posted on
pr.ees.
The catalogue of this company is
probably the most extensively cIrcu-
lated Of any in tine world. Their daily
receipt OF letters 10 over 8 1000, ana their
express shipments 200. ststeuIs Mt
50 partisan. untrue and misleading,
clothed with the authority that THIS
seemed 10 be and sent broadcast over
the country few months before cleo
ton, must have contributed IN no
small degree TO the political LAND
slida" of 1890.
AS there IL not word IN their 1892
s3 issue, either explanatory or apollo
getic, concerning their statement, II IS
but fair that the attention of the pub-
tic DO called to the matter for the true
facts IN the case.
Their statement says. frat, all prices
on guns. etc. What does that mean II
10 does not mean prices on all guns.
| foreign aud American, are subject 10
! change without notice.
They say Il the tariff TAX bill now
before congress becomes law guns
will be advanced from S3 TO $40 each.
That Is l. say, American guns as
well as foreign guns will be advanced
so much. Then they add. Watch this
bill and keep posted on prices.
That WAS another way of saying that
If the bill became law gun ordered
o. them would cost from IS tn $40
more than its present price. III their
customers were "posted," why, OF
course they would not be disappointed.
And. too, they would, with such facts
before them, "kick" at the polls at
such usurpatlons as that coming mon
ster, the ''robber tariff" would prac-
tlce upon them.
From the new tariff act copy this,
and It covers the whole ground IN re-
gard TO guns, muskets aud sporting
rifles, % per cent al valorem. Old duty,
same.
All doublo-barrelled sporting breech
loading shot guns valued at not more
than $500 each, $3.50. Old duty on
same, 80 per cent ad valorem.
Valued at more than $500 and not
more than $1,000 each, $500. Old duty
80 per cent al valorem.
Valued at more than $500, 5000
each. Old duty 50 per cent ad valorem.
On all single barrel, breech loading
shot guns, Sl.00; and 80 per cent All
valofem. Old duty, So per cent al
vAlorem.
And in addition thereto on all the
above. 80 per cent ad yalorem.
1t will be seen from the last clause of
the act that in addition to the new
duty, the old is to remain. Making
the difference in cost. il it is to be
measured by the tariff, the new
duty imposed.
Ii will Also be seen that the new law
Is mainly directed against the cheap
double-barrelled guns that for scores
of years have been flooding the coun-
try from Europe. 1t used to be the
muzzle loader, now it is the
breech loader. The double bsrrelled
shot gun Is prominently q
European weapon, made there and
sold here. Probably 90 per cent of all
the double barrslled shotguns in Amer
lea today whose cost price here was
less than $50 were made in Europe and
rs per cent of them in England. til
to stop this tide of cheap guns and AS
sure our market to our manufacturers
that the new law 10 directed. As We
bought wire nails . few years ago at
six and seven cents per pound of Eu-
rope 90 We have for years kept on buy
ing these guns by the tens of thous-
auds. In short time an American
boy can buy an American double bar
relied shot gun for from IS TO $40, the
equal of which no nobleman's son in
England can boast that did not cost
three times as much. How can ne do
il? Because our manufacturers have
this market for this class of goods.
But IN spite OF all this Americans
have of late years been steadily gain
ing ground IN the higher grade guns.
Their inventive genius and design has
produced q better gun than can be
made IN Europe today. But as the
demand for the higher grades is limit
ed they have been handicapped by
the inflow of the common guns made
by the cheap labor Of Europe.
Now for the facts az to what the
"Robber Tariff" has already done in
this line of goods.
The catalogues OF VI. Ward & Co.
shall be our only testimony. The fol-
lowing quotations OF prices will he
FIR m catalogue No. AZ, summer OF 1890,
and No. 81, fall and winter of 1925.
One gun OF each make will be quoted
and the same grade in each case.
FOREIGN MADE GUNS, DoUBLE BARRELLEp
Price $50. Price IS 2
The Lefaucheux Action guusS ln ~ . l. ~
Gun marked II. ". x Co. IL ~ u ~