The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-18

John Wanamaker's Kids.
Does the Drv Goods Economist mean to
assert or imply that the Hon. JOHN WANA-
MAKER OF the HARRISON Administration Is
in secret league with JOHN WANAMAKER Of
the Philadelphia bargain counter to influ-
ence tho Custom House in the matter OF kid
glove appraisements2
Kid glove importers OF this city. have
been harassed for some time by the Gus
tom House people with higher valuations
generally and apparently unaccountable
inequalities. according to tho degree OF
favor or disfavor enjoyed by the importer.
Just before election. as We understand. they
had less cause to complain. Election over.
according to our contemporary. matters
grew worse at once. The Dry Goods
Economist tells this extraordinary story:
1.-THE pl.n upon which tho prosecutions were rsopensd
was that At last the Examiner had succeeded
in obtain ing real market values II seems that large
retail house. whose head Is member OF tue Admins
trton had sent Its glove buyer to Europe for the frst
time in his life to purchase Its fall stock OF gloves.
Whether this done at tGs instgaton OF the special
agents lof the treasury or solely in tho interest Of
the house in question. can only DO surnised. Among
the purchases mads by this party wero lot of evening
gloves made by HoiSrE in Munich. and sold through
MS American representative. 1uib party kolQ tue
goods account Of tho special selection at higher
figure than he invoices his own goods to his Ameri-
agency. and added also to tho price about
the which his representative charges here fer
commission, this amount to be credited to tho New
York representative. No sooner had tho merchandise
thus ght arrived than tho Examiner In It
tho chance he wanted for he advanced tho very next
regular shipment of oLsrs TO the figures paid by the
retailer for his special selection. A reoppI aisement
the natural result Wonderful to relate the group
Nah
the value of the goods after tho usual cusory exsmna
ton found that the value OF tho gloves about tho
ngure to which they had been advanced by tho Elk.
snner The srangest feature OF the whole business Is
that these very wtnesses at respprasements Of tho
snme goods held last May and June. swors that the
value OF the goods some 10 to per cent. lower
than they appra!se them at now. and the European
market has in tho time certainly not advanced.
"Now comes tho srangest part OF all On the
strength OF the above sacton the goods OF another
manufacturer who happens to have tho misfortune to
be located in Munich. alss advanced to tho
figures as those of osrr and these goods also under
went tho ordeal OF resppraisement, with the same
result"
The only member OF the HARRISON Ad-
ministration suspected Of being engaged In
the business OF supplying the wives. sisters.
daughters. and sweethearts Of American
citizens with two. four. twelve and sixteen
button kid gloves. is the Postmaster-Gen-
eral. We assume that the Hon. JOHN wanna
MAKERis the retail trader referred to by the
Dry Goods Economist. although he Is not
mentioned by name. 1t appears that the
effect OF tho Enthusiastically enter.
prise In sending his own glove buyer to
Europe to investigate prices and to make
purchases has been to raise the cost OF
gloves OF similar manufacture to all his
rivals In the trade. Whether the bargain
counter has been acting as an adjunct OF
the Treasury Department. or the Treasury
Department has been acting rs an adjunct
Of the bargain counter. such Is the net re-
suit Of the Hon. JOINS latest enterprise.
IIe brings his gloves through the Custom
House. swears there that he has to pay
higher rates abroad than tho previously ac-
cepted Invoice values. and puts up tho
Munich glove all along the limo.
But there Is another side to the story.
We have before US the Hon. JOHN WANA-
Makers latest contribution to literature.
1t is a sweet little book on the history.
poetry. and romance Of kid gloves, and the
name Of JOHN WANAMAKEB appears as the
author. Kid gloves with wings like cherubs
fly all over Its pages. Hero Is picture OF
the Fair Maid Of Perth. here Sir WALTER
RALEIGH in the act Of pulling on his gaunt-
lets. here tho Walnut street dude. correctly
gloved at WANAMAKER's bargain counter
In tho act OF proposing to the Germantown
girl, also correctly gloved from the great
emporium and hero scene in Philadel-
phia theatre with the prima donna ON the
stage aud an auditorium full OF wildly ap-
plauding hands OF both sexes, all gloved
at WANAMAKER's. We give a specimen OF
the poetry which the General
brings to the consideration Ut his subject:
when fashion sent a nrman forth
That hands should hide their native worth
And be with gloves Invested.
what pains must have seized thy kin
When nrst Kid. thy supple skin
A. hitting WAS suggested"
That the prose Of his essay on Gloves Is
hardly less imaginative than the verse
may be seen from the opening paragraph,
ITO inclined to research the antiquity and his
terry Of Gloves offers . fascinating study-ths.r use
dating back nine centuries before tho Christian era
Govss in these days have no symbolism. but was
whena Glove was looked upon most significant
ou,ect. How familiar to lovers Of sHAIEsrEAaz IL
BoliscsHoEKs defiance to EoIroLx, PALE trembling
cows ard there throw my gage And In direct con,