Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1892-10-15
FOR WOMEN ONLY.
ABOUT PRICES OF WOMEN'S WEAR,
WHICH MEN MAY ALSO READ,

1t VIII Interest Them Because Price,
Are Lower-Tho Mckinley Law Hat
Given Cheaper and Better Dressfng-A
Woman's Talk to Women.
The complaint frequently heard among
women is that the Mckinley bill has
raised the price Of all dry goods. The
truth Of the matter is that French cor.
sets, underwear, gloves, silks. laces and
IN fact nearly all imported articles are
higher now than two years ago, but
prices on American goods have been
lowered rather than raised.
The American woman can dress bet
ter and more cheaply today than ever
before and not go outside of her own
country for !. thread or stitch Of her gar
ments, from raw fabric to tailor finish.
have visited the principal dry goods
stores, glove stores, millinery stores,
ETC., where womens clothing is sold,
with the idea Of comparing present prices
with those Of two years ago, and in no
case have found an increase in prices.
In all knit goods, such as vests, drawers
combination suit. and hosiery there has
| been considerable reduction. Hosiery is
sold from 5 to 10 per cent. cheaper than
! it was two years ago, and the reduction
is particularly noticeable in the new
styles Of knit goods-the union under
garments and equestrian tights that have
come into vogue with other sensible
fashions that indicate an advance toward
artistic and hygie1lic dressing. Prices
have fallen SO much OH tights that any
woman can afford to wear them now.
Such garments as sold for seven and
eight dollars three years ago can now
be purchased for three dollars, and a cor
responding reduction has been made in
all grades of goods. Within the past
two years the capacity of our factories
for manufacturing knit goods has i'll
creased by something over 50 per cent.
The protective tariff has certainly been
a good thing for this industry.
There is no appreciable difference in
the cost Of the American made corset
silerably higher, but the great majority
Of buyers patronize the American corset
manufacturer anyway.
Ready made underyarments of cotton
and muslin are selling about the same
as formerly, the slight reduction in the
cost Of the material having only slight
effect on the price of elaborately
trimmed garments. In the palmer goods,
however, made Of coarser materials.
where minimum amount of labor is
expended, there is d few cents difference.
In all grades of cottons, calicoes and
prints, where the price has not remained
stationary, it has decreased from one
fourth to two cents per yard. For in
sgn s1anffn from 81 to 81 is nov selling fors OF
8, and canbrics formerly quoted at 1873
and Is are selling for l311 to 1915 Cor
responding reduction is made on coloreu
cambrics and cheviots.
| found in no store that woolen dress
goods had advanced in price. On the
contrary, many of the standards, as
s1ryes and broadcloths, are cheaper. Two
years ago the regular storm serge cost
from 81. 10 to ST. per yard The price
today Of this same quality of goods is
from fifty to eighty cents. Broadcloths
French broadcloth does not begin to
possess the wearing qualities Of the
American. The finish Of the latter is
better and does not trough up when
worn.
AS far as silks and velvets are con-
cerned the price Of the domestic article
is about the same as it was two years
ago. 1t is generally conceded that
better quality Of velvet is placed upon
the market now, whether imported or
domestic.
In millinery goods, except Of course
imported models, there has been no in
crease in price. Trimmings are perhaps
a little cheaper.
Expert glove buyers concede that the
American factories give us a better
grade Of gloves than the foreign.
The price Of leather footgear is tho
same in the cheaper grades, but in the
more expensive there is reduction Of
about 10 per cent. Rubbers that were
selling for sixty cents can now be had
for forty-fve or fifty cents, and the fifty
cent goods Of 1890 cost thirty-fye OF
forty cents today. =.
The Mckinley bill has not affected
the prices Of ready made suits and
cloaks. Within the past two years,
however, manufacturers have found it
worth while to place upon the market
suits ct cheviots and cheaper woo]ens,
pensive tailor made suit. Formerly she
would have been forced to choose be-
tween an expensive cloth suit ready
made and dress pattern in the hands
Of an uncertain dressmaker.
All fur goods made up in this country
are fully as cheap this season as they
have ever been.
Since the price Of imported gowns ha.
gone up so per cent. the result is tnat
more gowns are made every year after
imported models, utilizing American ma
terials, and that American dressmakers
are giving more attention to designing.
The time is not far distant when the
American dressmaker will hold her own
with the French modiste. | was shown
an imported dress Of crepon with sleeves
Of silk that sold for $165. The importer,
a bright American woman, said she
could duplicate the garment out OF
American materials and make big
profit for sixty five dollars. She as
sured me that she had only to put a
foreign stamp on the waistband to en-
able her to dispose Of the dress for $125