The Washington times., 1909-07-08
WHAT WASHINGTON MERCHANTS
THINK OF PROPOSED NEW TARIFF

! recently TO be prepared for higher prices
for our cloth, and this is probably due
to the prospect of higher tariff
schedules. Personally. I am opposed to
an increase OF the WOODEN schedule be-
cause 1 think the price OF cloth has
reached the maximum TO give the con-
sumer a good suit at a moderate cost.
Woodward & LOthrop
To Make No Increases.
A. NJ. Lothrop, of the firm of Wood
ward & Lothrop, speaking of the effect
Of the tariff bill on the prices OF cloth
ing and dry goods. said:
7 do not think the passage of the
proposed tariff bill would appreciably
affect the consumer by imposing higher
prices. 1t may be that certain manu-
/ facturers will have to pay more for
their imported raw material, but that
will not necessarily mean that dry goods
hrns viii Increase the prices of the
manufactured articles. Certainly, this
store intends no increases because Of
the new tariff law. look for a good
business year. The reports of our
agents ali indicate that the outlook for
business Is splendid
fragrant Injustice
Says W. NJ. Balderston.
One II the fragrant injustices in the
Aldrich-Payne tariff btu is the pro-
posed increase of duty on gloves. in
the opinion Of W. NJ. Bslderson, super
intendent of the Palais Royal, and a
merchant who is keenly alive to COM
mercial conditions.
As a significant protest against the
imposition of higher glove duty. thou
sands Of customers Of the Palais Royal
voluntarily signed a petition to Con-
gress asking that the glove schedule as
! carried in the Dinglsy law be nm
| changed. This petition, which carried
many thousand names of Washington
/ fans, is now in the hands of the proper
/ committees of Congress.
1t viii work considerable hardship
! on the women who buy the popular
/ priced gloves, that is, from 81 90 to $50
a pair said Mr.. Baldarson, ''if the pro
posed increase in the glove schedule is
enacted. The present S100 glove I'M
doubtedly viii cost S1.25 after the pass
age Of the Aldrich-Payne bill The
gloves l refer to are mostly of French
manufacture They are most popular
with the women buyers because they
are superior to and offer better value
for the price than do the gloves of cor
responding price manufactured in this
q country II short, to Increase the duty
on so universally used an article would
be unfortunate because the consumer
would have 70 stand the increase"
Will Affect Prices
Of Food, Says Beeler.
George Beeler, manager Of the local
Atlantic and Pacific Tea Cor pany's
store, said: we may expect an adj
vance in the prices Of those imported
food products that we handle in pro-
portion 70 the increase IN the tariff
! schedules.
THE articles affected will be such
things as olives, olive oil. figs, nuts,
raiSins, and spices. The question OF
tea and coffee is as yet undecided. We
VIII know definitely about these in
creases when the New York headquaT-
3 Lers sends out 10 our 800 stores
/ throughout the country, revised price
lists which viii probably be shortly az
ter the passage of the new tariff bill
The imposition OF increased duties on
the food articles mentioned will, Of
course. fall on the consumer"
Tariff for Rich
Declares Wimsatt
The tariff was put on lumber to sat
isfy the demands of a few rich men
who own the white pine forests, .ac-
cording 10 William A Wimsatt, Of
Johnson & Wimsatt. wholesale lumber
merchants While Mr.. Wimsatt is OF
the opinion that the lumber tariff viii
hardly affect prices in the local mar
ket, yet he thinks that free lumber
would be better for the country gen
orally.
1T was 20 satisfy the white pine in
terests Of New England. Michigan and
Wisconsin that the tariff was put on
! lumber" said Mr.. Wimsatt In short
the entire country must pay tribute
to a feV, rich men who own these
white pine forests. Why white pine
should receive any more protection than
under the Dingley law. though. is be
yOnd my understanding because pro-
tected as It is the ruling price Is al
most prOEibitiVe. Number one white
! pine is now selling from 500 to sli0
per thousand feet as compared with
E35 per thousand for the short leaf OF
North Carolina pine
AS to the effect of the passage OF
the new tariff bill on the local market
7 cannot see that Z will materially
alter prices Prices here are governed
by competition. and. moreover. he Ina
pOrtatiOns Of foreign lumber are too
limited to have any effect It is prob
able however. that after the passa ge
of AIdriCh-P Payne bill Canadian spruce
laths Will disappear from this market
If the duty is raised 20 any extent
spruce iaths cannot be sold here al a
profit In any event. the supply is fast
diminishing and in Few years Is likely
/ to cease altogether
Whatever the outcome Of the tariff
D legislation, concluded Mr. Wimsatt,