The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-02-22
IHE TARIFF is A TAX.

| they still think that the tariff Is not
a tax, but IL IL is tax the foreigner
pays IT," he should read what the oil,
Paint and Drug Reporter of January 7,
is95. says about prices and tarii III.
II should DE understood that free
competition is almost unknown in the
chemical and drug industries Trusts.
combines aud pools restrict production
In nearly all Of the more important ar
ticles. Four large manufacturers prac-
tically sell from the same price lists.
| These lists mention 500 or 900 articles.
| New lists are issued monthly. The
five or six smaller manufacturers who
make certain articles ON these lists join
with the big four" in sustaining
| prices Prices are Kept mt the point of
| greatest profit 10 manufacturers II
there is an import duty on an article
tas there usually isl and manufacturers
can increase their pa otit> by taking adj
vantage Of the duty las they. usually
cam they do so. Hence. prices of most
articles are kept at or near the import
ing point even when our manu- factur
ers can land often do sell their prod
ucts in foreign markets at much lower
prices IT, then. duties are reduced
prices of many articles must be re-
| duced 10 prevent importation.
Reviewing the past year in drugs,
the Reporter says:
"rhe feature Of the year was I'M
loubtedly the speculation in opium.
due To the possibility of 81 per pound
duty being placed upon the drug by
congress The price was advanced
from - % in eases January 10 - the
middle Of February. under buying for
speculation and consumption. but a
define soon set in, and in July 81. - was
reached.
Acid. boracic. dropped from 10 cents
TO 10 cents. competition and reduction
in the duty OF cents per pound being
the causes.
Acid. citric. dropped from ~ cents
to 81 cents in barrels. foreign having
been steadily offered at lower prices.
The duty was reduced from 10 cents
per pound 10 - per cent.
Alcohol has been one of the most
interesting studics in the market. The
year opened at 500 net. though sales
were made at about SEQ net by the
Independents. At the close 81 II was
the net quotation. The general tend
ency has been upward. owing in some
measure to the higher prices of corn.
but principally TO the advance in the
internal revenue tax from 90 cents per
proof gallon 10 Sl.lO.
Castor oil is ~ cents lower.
change in the tariff causing makers to
drop the price cents the day the law
came into operation.
"Chloral. hydrate. is 25 cents lower.
due to tariff reduction.
"Camphor is off cents, partly owing
to the duty having been reduced. and
in part TO competition with foreign.
especially the German"
Reviewing heavy chemicals during
1894" the Reporter says:
There has been "A steady decline in
values since the year opened. except
for alxali, which. at the close, is a
shade higher.
'Caustic soda has attracted consider
able attention. more particularly since
the change in the duty Of one-half
what il was under the old tariff. The
year opened with prices for both do
nestle and foreign at az to as4 cents.
as TO test, at which they remained.
with comparatively few fluctuations.
until the new tariff went into opera
ton. when the leading domestic maxi
ers reduced their price TO conform with
the reduction in the duty. not only
upon the regular contracts. but also
made a reduction upon the goods un-
used in consumers hands The result
of this liberal policy soon made itself
felt in the large volume of orders re-
ceived, not only for prompt delivery,
but over the coming year as we'll
Competition at once began with for
eign makers. and prices quickly de-
clined. until the low price Of 1 II cents
was reported as having been accepted
for several contracts of high test.
though ~. cents was the general price
at which the bulk Of the contracts
were placed While prices in this
country, cling to the competition.
were very much unsettled. the foreign
markets showed no decline, except on
goods for this country. The chief
maker Of caustic soda in this country
exported several lots TO the other side,
where better prices could be obtained
than in this market. With the arrival
OF these lots of American goods in Liv.
crpool halt was called in the warfare
which was waging. and after several
conferences between the representa-
tives of the foreign and domestic man
ufacturers, prices were adjusted on the
basis of cents for future contracts
and slight advance above this figure
for jobbing parcels, at which price the
year closed
Previous to the reduction in the duty
very little foreign bicar Donate of soda
came into this country. thus giving the
domestic manufacturers monopoly oi
this article. This. however. was al
changed when the new duty Of X cent
per pound against cent under the old
tariff. went into effect. thus enabling
large sales TO be made Of foreign make.
at prices ranging from ~ up to ~
cents per pound, according to the guam
tity, make and date Of delivery. The
domestic makers promptly met this BY
reducing the price for their ordinary
brands. while still maintaining their
original price for their special brands.
- n L.