Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-28
PRICES AT HOME AND ABROAD.
(Keokuk Gate City,

Democratic newspapers and speak
ers charge that goods manufactured
in this country are being sold cheaper
in foreign lands than they are to the
people here. Harvesters and sewing
machines are two of the commodities
that are generally singled out and TAX
ed as an object lesson. Usually the
parties making the statements know
nothing as to the facts and recklessly
fix almost any figure as the selling
price to the foreigner, taking care to
fix the price considerably below what
the same articles sell for in this coun-
try. The object of these reckless
statements is to make a point against
the tariff. Democrats and others claim
that protected articles should be re.
lieved of duty when this condition OBJ
tains. Some have gone so far as to
claim that the tariff enables the man
ufacturer to compete with the cheap
labor in the old country because he
gets large bonus on the goods sold
in this country to enable him to meet
this competition. The recklessness of
the statements made and the discrep-
ancy as to the prices quoted prompted
J. w. flanagan, editor of the Mon
tezuma Qowa) Republican, to inves-
tigate matters, especially as to the
harvesters and sewing machines. Con-
sequently he wrote letter to r. M.
Wilson, resident Of Sidney, Australia,
asking that he give prices at which
American goods were selling in that
market. Mr.. Wilson's reply was as
follows:
Sydney, Australia, July 6, 1902. J..
w. Jarnagin, Esq, Montezuma, Iowa,
U. S. A. Dear Sir:-Kindly excuse my
apparent neglect in not replying to
your letter before, but owing to diff
Guilty l had in obtaining what you re-
auire, I was unable to write sooner.
l think the enclosed price list is
what you require as to sewing ma
chimes, also as to Mccormick reapers
and binders.
The Deering reaper and binder
sells cash price, e32-10. Latest pat.
tern, 937-10. l trust the enclosed
list will suit you for the present. If
possible | will obtain prices on other
lines which l will forward to you.
Yours faithfully,
R. M. Wilson.
Reducing the prices given in Mr. Will
sons letter to United States money it
will be seen that the Deering binder
without the latest improvements sells
for $15S.24, and with the latest i'm,
provements the price is $1S2.59.
S. E. Albin, the agent here in Monte.
yuma for these machines, sells them
for S11O to $125. Quite difference in
favor of the American farmer
AS to the price Of the Mccormick
binder, Mr. Wilson encloses the follow.
ing letter from one of of the largest
dealers in that country.
Sydney, June 16, 1902. Mr.. Wilson.
1874 Palmer street, city. Dear Sir:-As
requested by telephone, we take pleas
ure in handing you under separate
cover, full particulars of Mccormick
latest pattern 1902 reaper and binder.
Prices are as follows: e35 cash for
starting machine on crop; g37-10,
payable by e5 cash on starting, and
pro note e35-10, due March 4, 1903;
or, $40 payable G5 cash on starting
balance by two pro. notes for 917-10
due respectively on March 4, 1908, and
March 4, 1904. Trusting to hear from
you in reference to this inquiry, we
are,
Yours truly,
Mclean Bros. & Rigg, Ltd.
Converting English money into that
of this country it will be noticed thai
the price of the Mccormick is all the
| way from $165.45 to $194.S0.
T. ]. Hutchinson, the MonteZuma
agent for the Mccormick sells them
for $3.50. A very marked difference is
apparent.
The price list of sewing machines