Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-10-21

had many charitable plans that We're
never carried ont. After the Franco
German war he sent to France lot OF
-four for the starving people of Paris.
and during the famine in Ireland he
sent a lot of provisions 10 that country.
He was. in fact, very charitable
man"
How did Mr.. Stewart look, Mr..
WanamakerE
He was rather slight and of not over
medium height, with fair hair and light
blue eyes He was a man Of fine tastes
and of much culture
Was he a great merchant
Yes: think he was the greatest this
country has ever had Look over his
life and YOU will think the same. he
was the son of an Irish farmer he
first came 10 the United States as a
teacher. When he was 2l years old ne
bought g. 900 worth of Belfast laces
and linens and opened a store for the
sale Of these in New York be slept at
this time in the rear Of his shop he
turned his capital over and increased
his business until he had what was SAID
10 be the largest retail store IN the
world. The building alone cost Mr-
Stewart nearly 3, 600, 600, and its cur
rent expenses at the time OF his death
were about 81 900, 900 year. In MS
two stores he was at that time doing a
business Of about g, 000, 900 year. He
had. in addition to these, branch stores
in different parts OF the worid;
and he was the owner of a number OF
mills and factories. When ne died he
was said to be worth about $40, 900, 900
How about the times, Mr.. Wana-
maker: is business imprevelngE
Yes. somewhat, was the reply
The tariff has opened the gate, and
the beneficial effects which are com
ing from it have been added to by the
misfortunes Of other nations in having
poor crops while we have good ones
AS vet, however. there are still many
people unemployed. Many of those
who have secured work through better
times are saving their money to pay
their debts, so we do not yet 1eel the
good times as we shall later on
Then you think our prosperity VIII
continueg"
II believe we will have to spell of
good times. We cannot expect that
the crops will always be poor IN South
America, India and Europe, and this
element Of our present prosperity may
be lacking next year Still the tarlh
will start the mills to going, and our
biggest demand after all is the demand
at home.
Has the tariff already raised the
price of goodsz"
Certainly it has, was the reply.
We received to-day, for instance, an
invoice Of steamer rugs. They actually
cost us S7.j7 apiece These same
all he~1 in
store under the old tariff rate for
81 80 No one would ask us TO sell
rugs at that price which really cost US
cents more. so you see the pr1ce must
90 mp. 1t is the same with other things.
The tariff must necessarily make
general raise in prices
DO the people realize the prices are
risingz'
yes, indeed, they do, /" replied the
merchant. There has been no time
within the recent years when the peo-
pie have realized just how many cents
there are in dollar 50 well as they DO
now. They have learned through the
hard times to figure closely, and they
are much more economical than they
were before the hard times came. h,
"'Is not that good thing all around
MI. w dtldUldhtI.
Il don't know about that was the
reply. I'm order for us to have good
times the people must not only make
money, but they must also spend it free
ly. The two things are RECIPROCAL. 1t
is the market that keeps the factories
and the stores going, and pays the
wages.
How about your connection with
the Postoffice Department Have you
ever regretted your official career
thereg"
Il can't say that have, replied Mr..
WanamakeF. II don't like TO criticise
the pos.office and postal matters, now
that am ont of Office. The machine
is not rightly organized and managed
az il should be. The real boss OF the
department is Congress at the other end
of the city ON the hill Congress makes
the laws which govern the department,
and the Postmaster General Is depend
ant on Congress for everything he gets.
There are scores Of ways in which the
business there might be bettered, if the
Postmaster General had only the power
to act He has not the power, however,
and our postal system will never be
what il should be under our present
conditions Of government
You were strongly in favor Of pos
tai savings banks. were you notY'
Yes, was the reply, Il thought
they would help the poor
FRANK q. CARPENTER.