The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-12
THE GREAT TARIFF REDUCTIONS.

John Wanamaker is continuing his elo-
quent testimonials to the effect of the
tariff reductions on clothing. and for fear
that malicious persons may claim that his
firm and not himself is making the ad-
vertisements he prints a letter Of thanks
to the collector of the port of Philadelphia
over his own name. thanking him for his
courtesy and promptness in getting out
goods The letter concludes as follows:
We puposely left ourselves short of
foreign goods in view Of the tariff changes.
and having Sc many cases yet in bond
with several hundred more afioat soon to
arrive, II will be great favor to US
and our customers If you viii this week
let out our packages as rapidly as posi-
bic. Yours truly.
JOHN WANAMAKER.
He says many kind things of the new
tariff rates, as, for example:
Everything that free wool and tariff in
fiueDces can do to put prices on a lower
level has been much more than discounted
in the handsome new dress stuffs that
are crowding TO the counters every day.
But while Mr. Wanamaker is telling
these wholesome truths to the nation his
enterprising competitors. Strawbridge &
Clothier, inform the public that they have
been wiser than even shrewd old John.
They say:
AS for ourselves, we have sought, with
out screaming about 1t, to conserve the
interests of our patrons, and for months
past we have prepared for a tariff even
much lower than the present-purchasing
ONLY on the hagia Of tha house hill he
low II. We have reasoned that this quiet
service was more in the interest of our
patrons than the other course referred
TO, for while newspaper advertising Is
quite proper, some one has to pay for six
or eight column cards at from to 20
cents per lne-and 1t is usually the ad-
vertiser. Hundreds of cases Of foreign
goods held by us in bond have been, and
are now being, Withdrawn. All were
bought at lower prices abrosd than ever
before known. and ali are. Of course. to
be distributed on the same basis No time
could be more opportune in the interest
of our patrons for the reduced duties to
go into effect than chance has decreed-
at the very outset Of the season: and we
now submit the result Of preparations,
greater than ever in the past, to the ex-
animation Of the public-soliciting crit
icism and comparison with any stocks in
the American market.
II mus NC tNihCi4N " any pClSOh lAldl
this system OF purchase would give Straw
bridge & ClOthier a great advantage over
their competitors. and the fact is a dem
onstration of the nsich greater ad-
vantages that would have been enjoyed
by the public if the Wilson bill had been
passed instead of the German bill. We
quote one paragraph from these enterpris-
ing merchants:
Today we inaugurate a sale of strictly
reliable hosiery at prices never before
heard of. No broken lots are included.
Without exception all are new goods, pur-
chased by our buyer this summer,-at the
great hosiery centers Of Europe, at the
lowest prices ever known. The goods
were landed under the new tariff, and
are now offered our patrons at even lower
prices than we could buy the same grades
for today-prices having already material
ly advanced in European markets.
Il does not seem possible that Wanna
maker can compete with such exceptional
advantages, and the probabilities are that
he will suffer until his opponents stock,
bought at Wilson bill prices. is exhausted.