The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-06
THE WARLIKE TARIFF TAX,

Nearly all the necessaries Of life, such
HIS are used in all American families.
will be higher under the new radical
high tariff tax. You must either pay
more for the things you have been u.s.
ing or you must content yourself to
Mss inferior articles. That is the alter
nate. You may go without of course
liz compelled to do so by reason of
price, but you will suffer for ordinary
comforts and household blessings. That
much the republican party has done for
o Within thirty or sixty days, as
the case may be, you will see the
various articles used begin to creep up.
You will pay $1.25 for what you have
been paying but 81, and so on. Some
things will show less advance and some
moro. The New York merchants are
agreed hat very socn-in a few weeks
at farthest-there will be an advance
all along the lines both wholesale and
retail. A leading New York merchant
says, as reported in The New York
Evening Post:
"1n any department of trade that is
affected by the new tariff you a
scarcely mention an article of house
hold or personal use that is not affected
by it. The retail merchant can't get
round raising his prices, but, mind you,
he sure to put in the clause 'percepti-
bly, or imperceptibly.' because there
are more ways than one of getting over
a difficulty"
Remember, that the increase to come
is IN increase Upon an already very
high protective tariff. The Wilson bill
was loaded with protection and aver
aged some 80 per cent. in thousands Of
articles in the schedule. One estimate
prices will go up. Here is an instruct
i've item for the ladies':
ct paid 5000 more for the case of
gloves tina reached me this morning
than I would have paid had they
reached me last week." said a promi-
nent glove importer. "There must be
an advance of from 10 cents to 25 cents
on every pair of gloves sold by Septem-
Der LIST. Those who profess not to raise
their prices will undoubtedly cheaper
the grade sold for the same price"
A large glass and china dealer says
FtTICeS Will duN dIlCS "iIhlh ~ uoSo.
The carpet houses say that the tax Of
from 4 to II cents a pound on the raw
material used in manufacture would
have specific influence on the selling
price of their goods, and that within
the next two months increased charges
at retail would be noticed. The hard
ware dealers gave the same testimony;
likewise, the importers of buttons,
Deands, fancy straws, baskets, n
other lines. This is encouraging to poor
folks. Prices are to go up because GER
tain trusts and combines owning re-
publican Legislators have ordered 1t.
The rich people-the people with am
pie to live upon, will not feel
it or care much for it, but some 50.0O0,-
900 or more will fine less money in the
pocket or less living.
The new awful tariff for monopoly
is not only oppressive of the people at
large at home, but it is a hostile instru-
ment against the foreign nations. In
fact it is properly said that the new
tariff is a positive, open declaration Of
war against the whole world-a most
"~A
unwise if not iniquitous demonstration.
The Dingley bill is really and practi-
cally a declaration of war against all
nations. There were protests from for
aign countries against the passage Of
the bill whilst it was pending. The
congressional Record contains several
such protests. The public has not had
them. Great Britain, Italy, Belgium,
Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, the Ar
gentine Republic, China, Japan are
among the countries which have for
warded protests to the government of
h United States against their hostile
legislation. Never before has there
been so little wisdom and statesman
ship and economic capacity shown in
arif building.