Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-10-25
CAUSED BY THE WILSON BILL.
How the Necessaries of Life Have Been Cheap
ened by the Reform of the Tariff.

/ Will not pe dS elOlueit do INC "iihIiN
figures in showing the good that has
resulted TO the people from the passage
of the Wilson bill. The REGISTER has
recently been at considerable pains to
ascertain Just how much the people
save in hard cash on the ordinary arti-
cles of everyday use and the necessi-
ties of life by reason Of the reduced
prices that the Wilson bill has made.
\ visit of one of its representatives to
many of the leading stores in Shop
herdstown and Martinsburg was re-
Gently made, and what follows are
some of the facts learned:
W. P. Licklider, one of Shepherds
towns leading merchants, who deals
in oueeusware, shoes, groceries, etc,
saws that prices are reduced all around,
On the popular japanese chinaware
there is a general reduction of II!
cents on the dollar; a chocolate pitcher
that formerly cost 81 now costs 70
cents; gold-band tea-sets that used to
sell for 50 and SO are sold at s. and
$50: he sells for So now dinner sets
that were formerly SIS; chamber sets
that were sold at Sc are now sold at
4.75, every bit as good common white
ware is reduced -! to ID cents on
the dollar. Those handsome banquet
lamps that are 50 popular are reduced
% per cent-one-fourth less than they
were year ago A brass teakettle Is
reduced 80 cents. The same reduction
runs through the whole line. These
are simply some sample figures Mil
ler's pocket knives that. cost $500 a
dozen are reduced to g so, and all
cutlery is vastly lower. Shoes for
men. women and children are all re-
duced in price, and the goods are
much better. Nj. Lickhder showed a
pair of ladies shoes that We're % cents
lower than last year and he said they
were far better in quality besides
Dried fruits, etc, were all lower. Cit
ron is Is cents a pound, where it was
20 last year; raisins are a cent cheaper
and 50 with many other articles.
J. D. Billmyer, another leading
Shepherdstown merchant, was asked if
the passage of the Wilson bill had af-
fected goods in his line. He said that
there were many striking reductions.
An all wool carpet that he sold at 10
cents last year he now sells at 90 cents;
rag carpet has been reduced from %
to 20 cents, and Mr. Billmyer said that
when the new law had had little more
time all carpets would be still lower.
| 4 cheneille table cover was shown for
90 cents that sold last season at 1.25.
Woolens are u! to Is per cent lower.
Wooden underwear is not only much
cheaper, but the quality is vastly bet
ter. Mr.. Billmyer showed two wooden
shirts-one carried over from last sea-
son he had sold at 81 % and it weigh
ed l4l ounces; the other was bought
this season, sold at 81, weighed Ia
ounces, and was better in every re-
spect SO it was with many other
articles. Drawers that cost 1875 last
year now 90 at 81 cents. Hosiery is
much cheaper Balbriggan stockings
have dropped from 1926 to 3l.S5 per
dozen pairs; half hose that sold at 10
cents are now s, and the s cent sort
sell at 5 cents. A box of heece-lined
gloves were shown that had dropped
from 80 to 20 cents a pair; goat-skin
gloves that were sold at 70 cents a
year ago are now 40 cents. All no.
tons are greatly reduced. Mr.. Bill
mver said that he looked for still
heavier reductions in many articles.
NJ. B. Baker said that wooden dres:
goods were cheaper by from 20 to25
per cent. He showed numerous ex-
amples of lower prices. a piece Of
blue serge that was so cents last yeal
is now 40, and many other dress goods
are off 10 cents a yards Flannels arr
20 per cent cheaper; canton flannel Il
sold now 1 inches wider and far better
quality at the same price; red flame
that was so cents last season Is AZ
cents now, and the customer saves
dollar on every ten yards. Blanket
that were 81 last fall are 1926 nov
and the quality is better Mr.. Bake
said he bought carpets about SIS rol
cheaper, and his customers got tn
benefit. Underwear is % cents on tn
dollar less than last year, cashmere
are down % pei cent, and cotton good
are off u! per cent.
Mrs. NJ. L. Harrington reported no
ticeable reductions in prices of dres
goods, millinery, &c. Velvets an
feathers, jets, ribbons and other MILL